Every Time A Bell Rings
by bennyrelic
Summary: Tracey Davis has been hiding out in America for 10 plus years and no one but Draco Malfoy knows why. Harry and Ginny are on the rocks after 10 years of unhappy marriage. Hermione Granger is back in Britain after living abroad but she's harboring secrets of her own. AU Post-Hog with 7th year, EWE, Next Generation included. M rating for language, adult situations, noncon. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. All original characters are my own creation.

This is my very first long form fiction. I have written many screenplays in the past but never anything like a novel. Please take that into consideration in your reviews.

This story takes place in 2012 it is AU, EWE. Relationships in the beginning are as follows, Harry/Ginny Married two kids (James 11, Lily 7), Draco Malfoy divorced one kid (Julien 'Jules' Malfoy 11), Hermione is single, Tracey Davis never married/single one kid (Arianna 11). Harry and Tracey were together during 7th year of Hogwarts after the reconstruction until the summer of 2000.

Please review and THANK YOU FOR READING!

* * *

**HOGWARTS SCOTLAND AUGUST 2012**

**Parent & Student Orientation Meet and Greet Mixer**

**Hosted by the Board of Governors and the Department of Muggle Studies**

On the grounds of Hogwarts for the first time in over a decade Tracey Davis is struck with the same awe and wonder she had the first night she saw this magical castle. It was a bright and clear day, a little warm, or maybe she was just nervous. Her daughter Arianna held her hand in a loose grip. They were more like friends now than mother and daughter as they practically skipped onto the grounds and around the black lake they saw the quad where the whole event was to take place.

The last time Tracey was here it was still being repaired. She had come back after the final battle, one of five Slytherins to do so. She was determined to graduate and get a few good letters of recommendation. Never one to let any of her hard work go to waste. Tracey wasn't the best student at Hogwarts or anywhere else, but she was a hard worker. It seems that hard work pays off better than sheer brilliance in the long run because she had built a great career out of it. Working with Veteran Witches & Wizards of the battles in America and abroad she had assembled a team of healers and counselors and hit-Wizards too, who worked together in a sort of Magical Human Services capacity. She also had developed a new psychiatric technique mixing exposure therapy and magic to treat PTSD and other conditions. Her papers were published in the magical community worldwide and that had all lead to this. Now back in Britain she was going to try and implement those systems into the Ministry. It would be a challenge no doubt.

Arianna was facing her own sort of challenge. She really hated Scotland. Too drab and dreary. She wanted to stay in New York. It was so alive, so fresh, so American. Arianna really didn't consider herself British or even magically inclined. Born and raised in America and basically a muggle as well, she just knew that Hogwarts would be hell. Arianna was tall for her age she would be 12 this coming March and already she was 5'6", almost taller than her Mom. She was skinny, with medium length black hair and green eyes with gold specks in them, and very tan from being at the beach the past two weeks.

You see, Tracey had to bribe Arianna to even go to Hogwarts. "Two weeks anywhere you want. Any holiday you can dream up for two whole weeks, if you'll go to school and not complain the whole time." That was the bargain that was struck. Arianna had accepted immediately because in her mind, the beach was worth any price. She could swim and surf and lounge for the rest of her life. Whenever they left the beach she would be depressed for days, sometimes weeks afterwards. The sea had a siren song for her.

Tracey squeezed her daughter's hand, "It will be alright. You know Jules will be here?" Arianna gave a halfhearted smile. Julien Malfoy was alright she supposed, a little immature but he was sort of like a cousin to her. At least she would know _someone_. "Yeah it'll be good to see Jules." Arianna tried to perk up, but she wasn't a very good actress. Not like her Mom. Tracey had that psychiatrist's arsenal of contemplative yet non-judgmental looks and glances and stares. She also had the _I'm here for you_ and the _I'm really listening_ looks that drove Arianna mad.

Tracey had hoped that her daughter would be filled with wonder and delight at the sight of the ancient castle, but really, she just looked sullen. She had to tell herself that Arianna would fall in love with it someday, and hopefully she'd learn to love the magical part of herself.

Tracey spots a group of kids gathered around what looks like a miniature Harry Potter. It must be his son. Her heat skips a beat, Harry must be here then. She knew it was a possibility. Tracey nudges Arianna to go join the group and she reluctantly drops her mother's hand.

* * *

Just then Tracey sees a face she was happy to spot. Mr. Malfoy, Dear Draco, the heartbreaker, the scamp. He smiled wickedly at Tracey and embraced her. "Too long, much, much too long, since I've seen you. Where is that lovely daughter of yours? You must come up to the house and see Mother, she'll never forgive me if I don't bring you round."

Tracey forces a smile, and fights to roll her eyes, "Draco, of course, Arianna and I would be simply thrilled to join you. Just give me a ring anytime."

"A Ring?" Draco scrunched up his sharp featured face. "What kind of ring exactly?"

Tracey laughs and grabs his upper arm, "The muggle sort Dear Drake. I meant you can call me? On the phone? Don't give me that face I know you work with Muggles now as well. Don't you have a law degree for goodness sakes?"

Draco shrugs, "Yes but that doesn't mean I understand all their weird sayings. Tracey, you haven't one of those mobile devices they're so fond of, have you? They stare at them incessantly in meetings. Their screens give me a migraine." Draco pinches his nose and shakes his platinum head. Tracey gives him a "there, there" pat-pat on the shoulder. They both continue talking for several minutes about their respective businesses. Tracey hands Draco her card and he stares, shocked, "Eek gads, Trace how many letters does one need after their name? What's this string of acronyms? Are you a certified dog trainer as well?" Tracey throws him a playful scowl, "Keep in touch Mr. Malfoy." Draco waves goodbye saying, "Yes, Doctor Missuses Tracey Esquire. I will indeed."

* * *

Hermione and Harry are laughing and laughing at fond Hogwarts memories. Hermione hasn't smiled this much in a long time. Why didn't she spend more time with her family and friends? She struggled now to remember what was more important, her career or her social life. Well, she didn't struggle much, clearly her career would win out.

Harry is so happy that Hermione came. He misses her greatly. She's so great with the kids and he could really use a friend right now. He's itching to unload all his problems on Hermione, so she can help him sort out his completely bunged up life. Ginny is taunting him in his peripheral vision he sees her rubbing her hands up and down Blaise Zabini's arms like she's trying to rid him of a chill. The two embrace and Harry grimaces. Hermione looks over her shoulder at whatever made her best friend's face contort so painfully, Ginny was flirting with Blaise. What had gotten into her. Hermione scrunches her face up at Harry, a mixture of embarrassment and sadness. Harry merely casts his gaze down and takes a long drink of whatever concoction they're passing around. He doesn't want to spend any more time thinking about Ginny.

He snaps back to Hermione; just as young Mister Malfoy approaches them. Julien was average height for an 11-year-old, with brown hair and dark eyes only his sharp pointed features and smirk gave him away as the Malfoy heir. Julien gives a stiff nod to Hermione and turns to Harry his hand outstretched, "Mr. Potter we have not been formally introduced I'm Julien Malfoy. It's an honor to meet you sir." Harry shakes the boy's hand back and through the side of his mouth replies, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance." The boy spins to Hermione and offers a deep bow, "Miss Granger lovely to see you." Hermione furrows her brow at the boy, "Hello Julien, where is your father anyway?" Julien snaps back and moves to take his leave, "I'm sure he's around." Then he's gone in a gust of wind. Harry and Hermione simply shake their heads at the strange scene.

Hermione puts on a pensive face, "Harry, let me see your hand. No, the one Jules shook." Harry looks confused but offers his hand, Hermione pulls out her wand to _revelio_ a sticky sticking handshake charm that had been left by the devious Draco Junior.

Hermione removes the Weasley manufactured gag and Harry guffaws, "Well it is kind of funny." Hermione doesn't look amused. Harry searches the crowd and spots a shock of white hair he yells at the man, "Hey Malfoy!" Draco Malfoy spots the waving arms of Harry Potter and rolls his eyes as he walks up to the man, and Miss Granger digs her heels into the ground to prevent herself from running far away. Although Hermione and Draco were on speaking terms they weren't what anyone would call "friends."

Draco goes to shake Harry's hand but Harry grabs Draco's hand and turns it round and round to inspect it, "Just checking for any more of these gags. Your son laid it on me a moment ago." Draco slaps Harry's shoulder, "a prank Potter, no one was hurt." Harry shakes his head, "No. But you better confiscate whatever he has now. It wouldn't do for him to be kicked out because he's pranked half the board of governors." Draco cast a sideways glance in thought toward his son, "No that wouldn't do. Please excuse me." Draco turns to Hermione before he leaves, "Hermione, are you in town long? I should like to go over some new business with you. I'll owl you." Before Hermione could even open her mouth to reply, he was gone. Hermione thoughtfully looked down at her shoes and Harry couldn't help but fiddle with his glasses.

He didn't want to press his friend for answers, but he could swear she was sad Draco had taken off so quickly.

* * *

Tracey knows she shouldn't stare. She really, really should not stare. Why can't she stop staring? What on earth is wrong with her? She decides to just let herself stare at him for 2 minutes. She looks at her watch and sets the time. Even from behind and 50 paces away she'd know him. His back is strong and slightly slumped, maybe from stress or age? He's an auror and it's a physically demanding job. Oh, look he's turned slightly. Now she can see his profile, a glint of gold off his glasses, his mouth is upturned slightly. Is that Draco's boy Jules bowing in front of him? What on Earth? His hair is still a mess and so thick, does he have any gray yet?

Now Draco's saying something to him. Hermione looks like she's trying to hide behind Harry. Before she knows it, Tracey is walking over to Harry, Draco and Hermione. She's had enough staring. It's time to say something. Draco is there so she has a good buffer.

Shit. Draco is walking away. Tracey is already half way there. Should she stop? Turn around? She kind of flutters in place for a moment while Harry and Hermione exchange a word. Should she not interrupt them?

Tracey gathers her courage, back straight, smile on point. She's a performer, this is no different than a room full of students with gaping maws staring at their blank futures in the great beyond right past her head. Harry is turned away from her so Hermione spots Tracey first, with a soft smile Hermione says, "Tracey, don't you look lovely. America must be good for you."

Harry doesn't turn to look her way. Tracey puts a hand out for Hermione, "Miss Hermione Granger. It's so good to see you again. You haven't changed a bit." Tracey smiles wide but realizes that might not be taken as a compliment by the girl who was teased relentlessly almost her whole school career. Tracey tries to recover, "That is to say you haven't aged a day." Shit. She is putting her foot right in her mouth. Hermione tries to break the awkward, "Well, yes, thank you. You have a child attending Hogwarts?" Tracey tenses up and Harry finally turns to look at her.

Boy, does he ever _look_ at her. He takes her in head to toe. Tracey is taller than him in her heels, her hair is chestnut brown her eyes the same stormy blue, no glasses though he notices. He tries to speak but coughs instead, mussing his hair to try and recover. Harry believes Tracey has changed a lot actually, and it's all for the better. She looks amazing. His mouth is suddenly very dry, but he manages to say, "Tracey, why it's been ages. You said you had a child here at Hogwarts? Which one is yours?"

Tracey sputters, "Oh well. Yes. I'm not sure where she's off too actually. I should probably go find her."

Harry tries to think of something quick to keep Tracey planted there. "She? So, you have a daughter? That's wonderful. Do you have any other kids? A husband? What are you doing back? Are you moving back or just .?" Hermione grabs Harry's arm her face turned away from Tracey and she mouths the word "STOP" at him. He pulls his hands back through his hair, disheveling himself with a lopsided grin, "Sorry," he mutters. At that point Hermione extracts herself, "Well I better go find Ginny. Bye Tracey. Harry."

Tracey turns her face away from Harry and tries very hard to stare at anything but him. He had questions. Too many questions. She thought maybe he could read her mind if she looked directly at him. He always had a way of looking right into her, seeing her thoughts and knowing her desires. Tracey puts on her show face, "We have moved back to London. Or rather, I have moved back, Arianna has never lived here before." She fiddles with her watch.

Harry would love to be the kind of bloke who could break tension with a witty remark or a perfectly timed pun. He never had that skill. He wanted to touch her so bad, his hands actually started to itch. So, he scratched them and said, "Arianna? That's a beautiful name. I love that name." He stopped himself. It had been the name he had wanted for his own daughter. Ginny wanted her to be called Minnie, so they went with Minerva. No one called the girl Minnie though everyone called her by her middle name Lily. The seven-year-old girl was the spitting image of Ginny though.

Tracey of course knew why he loved the name. It was Dumbledore's sister's name. It's possible he doesn't remember their conversations about names they liked, or places they wanted to live, or how much they ached to see the world together. Those late-night plans and daydreams were the only thing to get her through the nights sometimes. Maybe he doesn't remember. She must break the silence, "So you and Ginny still going strong? That's so wonderful Harry."

Harry looked wounded by her words. Had she said something wrong? Harry forces a smile and says, "So why did you come back?" In the air hanging there, left unsaid, "_why did you leave in the first place?_"

Tracey brushes her hair back and looks at him, dead in the eyes for the first time. In her opinion, he's gorgeous. Her heart flutters as she meets his gaze, "I'm working on a special project at the ministry, actually, I could use your help. You see I'm looking to bring my therapy techniques and training systems to the counselors working with veterans and current aurors. I might even want to branch out into some type of school counseling system, but very far in the future. What do you think?"

Harry's breath catches for a second, Tracey cuts him off before he can speak, "I've thrown you off. I apologize. I'll go through the proper channels at work. I didn't mean to dump all that on you in one go. I'm very sorry. Truly sorry."

Harry was now very confused, he tried to pick up the threads she was dangling. That sorry certainly wasn't as empty as she had meant it to be. Was she sorry for leaving? He was sorry he didn't go after her. Should he say so? Harry grabs her hand, "Tracey, stop apologizing. I would love to work with you on this it sounds like a very important program. I'm looking forward to seeing you. I mean, seeing you more, and well our kids are in school together too. Who knows? Maybe they'll be friends! It is really so good to see you." He rubs his thumb on her wrist and then drops his hand to adjust his glasses.

Tracey pulls out a business card and a muggle pen from her handbag. Harry notices the handbag is not extendable, just a regular muggle bag. Tracey really had gone to the Muggle side as it were. She writes some numbers on the card and hands it to Harry, "Please, call me sometime. I've got my cell phone number on the back too. Bye Harry." Tracey pulls Harry close and brushes her lips against his cheek in a swift kiss. Harry stops breathing for a moment and then she's gone.

* * *

Hermione saunters around to where Ginny and Blaise were laughing and carrying on like old... chums? Lovers? Hard to say. They had chemistry for sure but was it more than friendly? Her friend Ginny seemed a bit too rosy cheeked for mere friendly flirting. She wasn't one to sit the judges chair, no, not Miss Granger. She had been there done that where Ginny, Harry, Ron, Percy, Draco, hell, where everyone was concerned to be fair. She was choosing to _not_ judge people, especially those closest to her. Which Ginny most certainly was. Ginny was there for her in some very dark times. The many break ups, the break outs, the break throughs. Hermione wanted to be there for Ginny the way she had always been there for her. Hermione felt the proverbial storm brewing.

"Hermione!" Ginny grabbed her friend and pulled her into a hug. Blaise smiled at them both, looking Hermione up and down in a sizing up sort of way. As in, did he have to be nice to the muggle-born? If he wanted to get in Ginny's good graces he'd better. Blaise extends a hand, "Hermione, lovely to see you." Hermione takes his hand firmly, "Blaise, what are you two on about over here?"

Ginny pulls Hermione close and teases, "Were just chatting and what have you been doing? Have you seen that Draco is here? And Tracey Davis as well?" Hermione stepped out of her friends hold, "Yes I saw them both. Everyone is grown up and passing the baton to the next generation it seems. Where is your child Blaise?"

Ginny cuts him off, "Blaise is here for the same reason you are. Moral support of his godson Julien." Hermione pursed her lips in a "hmm" sort of way. Ginny spun her around giving Blaise a quick air kiss goodbye, "Blaise we'll see you around good sir. Ta." Hermione and Ginny started walking toward an old bench and sat down next to each other. Ginny sighed, "My goodness. He's even better going than he is coming."

Hermione couldn't help but let a sharp laugh escape her tightly closed mouth, "Ginny! Should you be saying such things? Being _happily married_ and all?"

Ginny winced and tried to laugh it off. "I married the wrong person, Hermione."

Hermione didn't even try to hide her shocked face. She knew they were having problems but, this sounded dire. How could she help her navigate this when she didn't know anything about marriage or even relationships really? "Ginny," Hermione started and faltered. Ginny picked up her meaning, even if she didn't say anything. "It's nothing. Don't get your face all crinkly like that, the wrinkles are going to start sticking soon." Ginny rubbed her thumb between Hermione's brows where the furrow was just starting to form. Hermione let her head fall into her friend's shoulder.

They sat like that, silent for a while until Ginny's son James came up to them harrumphing the whole way, "Mum, I'm done. Seriously, this is so boring. Please. I _have_ to leave." James was shorter than some of the other children being one of the youngest in his class. He was messy of hair like his Dad, brown eyes like his mother and had a deep tan from being out all summer long. He was not one to sit at formal functions or mingle at orientation events. James was a kid that needed activity at all times. He was in a word, exhausting. Ginny held up a limp arm waving it about like it was made of jelly at her son, "Help Mummy up. Mummy is all jelly now. Help Mummy." James laughed and rolled his eyes at his playful Mum, "Mum, stop it. Your worse than Lily. Can't I just go floo Gran and stay at her place with Lils?" Ginny sat up straight, her cheek resting against her hand, "I guess that's alright with me, go check see with your Dad I suppose." James was off before Ginny even finished her sentence, running exceptionally fast away from his life giver.

Ginny and Hermione continued to chat, and hold hands, and laugh, and hug. Hermione thought it was so good to be with her again. This was the most successful relationship she had ever had when she thought about it. She supposed that was true for many women with lifelong friends. They would never stop loving

each other and nothing could come between them, well, at least nothing ever had.

Author's note: Is this too short for a chapter or too long? Let me know in the reviews! THANK YOU SO MUCH!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter.

I'm still trying to figure out formatting. I'm so sorry for the lack of breaks. My author's notes weren't showing up, so I had to delete and reupload, my apologies for that! To the reviewer who asked; this story is **not** a Draco/Hermione. Draco is divorced from an unnamed French witch and their son Julien basically lives with Draco full time when not at Hogwarts.

Please review and Thank You So Much for Reading!

Chapter Two:

**HOGWARTS Orientation cont'd**

Harry was alone again. Standing awkwardly near the bar and appetizer table. He had already told James to leave, and he might as well head off too, he thought. Just as he was setting his glass down he spotted her. A very tall, very slim, little girl with hair as black as night and eyes as green as… "Hello," Harry felt something heavy sit right down on his chest, "Are you Arianna?" The little girl, she seemed so small, even though she stood straight backed and tall, perfect posture, much like her mother he thought.

Arianna approached him hesitantly, "Hello Mister Harry Potter. I was wondering if you'd be here. I've read all about you. Sorry. Is that rude to say? Mom says I have no tact."

Harry couldn't stop staring at her, "Yes. I'm Harry, just Harry. No Mr. Potter nonsense. My son is your age going to Hogwarts as well. Although, he just left. Where are your parents?"

Arianna stepped a little closer to him now, "Well my Mom is over there," she pointed toward a pergola and there stood Tracey Davis scanning the crowd in search of someone. Arianna continued, "You went to school together right? I mean that's what she said." Arianna starts walking away as Harry replies, "Yes we went to school together."

Suddenly Draco Malfoy appears and gives Arianna a spinning hug, "Ari you are so bloody tall, my goodness girl." Arianna smiles and giggles, she asks, "where's Jules at? He said he had something to show me." Draco bends down to her eye level, "Don't trust that little snake he's pranking everyone today." Arianna runs off with an exaggerated laugh, "Hardy Har, you're the one who bought him the deluxe Weasley Joke Set he's shown half the class already. It's your fault."

Harry stares after Arianna as she runs to her mother, most likely inquiring about Jules. Tracey looks up in Harry's direction, was that fear, or anger in her expression? She's too far away for him to be sure.

Draco moves in to block Harry's view, "Heya Harry, old chap let's chat yes?" Harry tries to push Draco aside, "What is it Draco?" his tone is harsher than he'd like it to be. They weren't friends, but they got along in small doses. "I'm just curious," Draco tries to keep his view blocked, "what's going through that scarred brain of yours right now? It couldn't be that you think confronting Tracey at this lovely school event would be in anyway prudent or advisable, correct? Let me assure you it is neither. No, Sir Potter, I must insist you leave it alone for right now. Her daughter is here, your son is here, it wouldn't be proper you see?"

Harry was sizing Draco up, using every trick in his book to read through Draco's façade. What does Draco know about him and Tracey? Harry does agree though, it wouldn't do to jump to conclusions and confront Tracey at a school event. That didn't mean he couldn't just _speak_ to her very briefly on his way out. He looked Draco dead in the face and with a smile he said, "You're mistaken sir. No such thing has passed through my mind. I promise." With that he stepped away and headed straight to Tracey.

* * *

Harry's determined steps belied the confusing noise that was his head. So many questions. Why did Tracey come back? Why did she leave? Did she have feelings for him? Where was Arianna's father? Was Tracey married, now, or ever? What was Draco trying to do back there? What did Tracey tell Draco? What was he going to say to her in three seconds?

"Hello," good classic start Harry thought.

Tracey was staring into Harry's very soul; her eyes were filled with ardor, but her face was calm. She turns to her daughter whose hanging onto her wrist trying to pull Tracey away, "Arianna, please stop. Go find Draco and help him look for Jules. Please darling? Help me out?" Arianna looked between Harry and Tracey and scoffed, "Fine. Whatever." Then Arianna was off in a huff.

Harry seized his moment, he moved closer to Tracey backing them both up against a small brick wall where they could lean or sit. He stood over her trying to keep is voice low, "Tracey, I have so many questions. Frankly, I don't know where to begin. Before you say anything, I have to tell you, I'm beyond happy to see you again. It's overwhelming to see you again. I've missed you, every day."

Tracey swallowed hard, "I've missed you too Harry. But you know, as much as we may have mutually missed each other, neither of us ever tried to reach out. I didn't even know you had two kids and were still married. I had heard," she paused to break his eye contact, "something different. I heard you were so busy saving the world that you didn't have much to do with your family anymore."

Harry thought about this, he could respond with an outpouring of truth, that's kind of what he had always done in his life. To hell with the consequences just lay it all out in the open. The last time he had done that with this particular woman though she had fled so far and so fast he never really recovered. He took his time now, in lots of ways, he moved with purpose and he tried to choose his words carefully. _Tried_ being the operative word here. "Tracey, my life is complicated, it's true. I'm doing the best I can like everyone else. Really, I don't want to talk about me. I want to know about you. I want to know all about America and your daughter Arianna." Harry couldn't help himself he moved even closer to Tracey, and she breathed him in, "Well I want to know everything about your life as well Harry."

His heart hadn't beaten this fast in years. He couldn't believe she was here. He could reach out and touch her right now, but Tracey pushes her hands against his chest and says, "We should meet somewhere in the city. Arianna and I are still trying to get settled and I'm searching for office space. Why don't we meet up and we can walk around and talk, ok?" She slides out from the brick wall and smiles at him as she walks away. Ginny is still sitting in the background under that old oak with the bench, she's staring at Harry and Tracey just out of the corner of Tracey's eye she can spot the redhead trying to peep a better look as she walks off.

It wasn't the encounter Harry was hoping for. What had he expected to happen? Whatever it was, he knew he was going to see her again. She wasn't getting away this time. No matter what.

* * *

Draco was plum confused. Potter looks to be whisper yelling at his wife as they both head off. Hermione is clearly trying to hide from him. Tracey seems as if she's going to pass out from thinking so hard. So much drama already and school hadn't even started yet. Well, no matter, it was time to get Jules home; he had caused enough trouble. If only he could find the little sneak.

Draco spotted Blaise and decided to enlist his help. "Dear Sir Zabini, have you seen your godson?" Blaise gave his patented blank look and blinked a little too hard when he replied, "I've seen someone who might fit his description hiding up the corridor entrance. He's out of control Drake."

Draco nodded, and set off for his son. Julien wasn't out of control. No son of his would be a delinquent. It's true that his mother moving back to France had really upset the boy. Draco tried everything he could think of and bought him anything he wanted. Hadn't that always been enough for him in his youth?

No. It hadn't, upon further reflection, when his parents bought him more and more things he became more and more of a total prat. This required some outside assistance. He might have to hire Tracey to help him with this. He couldn't bring it to a stranger or a muggle practitioner as that would illicit too many questions and prods from noisy sods. He needed discretion. A trusted friend. Family.

When he spots his son working a bit of magic for Arianna in the dim corridor he sees him smiling. A real smile. Not the fake smirks he gives to everyone else, but something genuine. It's like looking in a dark mirror seeing his son like that. When was the last time he had smiled, truly? No, he would fix it. It wasn't too late, and it hadn't gotten to that dark place yet.

Arianna looked bored to tears, but she tried to put on a show. She really wasn't impressed with magic at all, it was so strange. They were talking in whispers Arianna was leaning in to Jules to hear what he was saying. Draco couldn't make it out. He jumped out from around the bend and surprised them, "Arianna your mother is looking for you love." Arianna jumps up, "Finally! Hey, I'll see you Jules!" Off she runs and Jules waves goodbye. Draco throws an arm over him, "Chin up. Ari and Tracey are coming to the Manor for a little get together and you two will be in school together for 7 years Merlin willing." Julien shrugs and sighs. It seems the despondence of youth truly is upon them.

* * *

**Potter family flat – London - twilight**

Their flat was dark, and Harry didn't bother with the light. Ginny was tromping up behind him as he went to hang up his coat, he hadn't seen her this angry in quite a while. Of course, he was angry too. He mustn't forget that. He will not bury his head in the sand this time. Blatantly flirting with old school rivals, throwing it in his face.

Ginny huffed as she stormed past, waving her hands to cast on the lights. All of the lights. Harry blinked hard and rolled his eyes, "we don't need every light on, do we?" He went to cast the lights down a bit, but she smacked his arm down and said, "Oh no. I need to see your eyes, in detail, when you lie to me about Tracey bloody Davis."

Why was she this angry? Did Ginny really care? Or was she just putting on a show? Harry cast his gaze down, continually blinking hard, "I don't know what you mean. Tracey and I are old friends. You know this. You were at school with us."

Ginny scoffed, "Yeah. I was there. I SAW you two. But I never, that is to say I didn't..." She faltered. Why did she care? Ginny battled with her dwindling anger, trying to stoke it back to life, the fire was long dead though. "I'm not sure what I'm saying. I don't know what I'm doing. I had a moment, there was a moment... wasn't there?"

Harry looked confused but then it dawned on him. Ginny had never had a reason to be jealous, it seems like she thought that was what she was supposed to be feeling, and she was trying to hold onto that glimmer of passion that Harry and Tracey together had stirred in her, that fleeting anger at something lost. Harry sighed, "Do you even care? What is this exactly?"

Ginny replied hands on hips, "What is what? I'm upset that you were flirting with another woman. Obviously, Harry."

"You could've fooled me. You were rather flirtatious yourself with Mister Zabini. Is he one of yours then? Or, should I say, ANOTHER one of yours?" Harry spun away from her. It was like a mime act. He was going through the motions but there was nothing there. Seeing Tracey, seeing her daughter, something awoke in him. His head was a mess.

Ginny tried to bite back her tears, but they fell in fat soft rolls off her cheeks regardless. "I thought you were still willing to work this out. I thought there was something here. Seeing you with her, I'm not sure. I'm not sure of anything. I don't want to do this anymore Harry! It's been killing me!"

Harry slumped down on the stairs by the front door, they hadn't even left the hallway for this fight. They'd had so many fights in this house. He knew he had to be the one to leave. Had he always known that? Had he really wanted it to work? He looked into Ginny's face, her pale, freckly, beautiful face, and the words just poured out of him, "I don't love you anymore. I haven't done for a long time. Neither have you, as far as I know. I know you'll be happier without me. Regardless of everything, I would still like to see you happy. I'll pack. I'll go. I'm not doing this anymore."

Ginny stood straight, she wiped her eyes and nodded in agreement, "It's long, long past time."

Harry climbed up the stairs with heavy feet. His body was exhausted, too many emotions for one day, it was like running a marathon. He threw some clothes and toiletries in a bag, a few books, and down and out he went. Before the door could close, Ginny, standing right where he'd left her, she raised her voice and said, "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm so, so sorry for everything." Harry stood at the door jamb turned back into the house and nodded at Ginny. He wouldn't let her see his tears, although more likely than not, she knew that she had broken his heart. She probably knew that well before tonight. Harry headed out into the night not knowing where to go now.

* * *

Hermione was too tired to train tonight. Her next marathon wasn't for another couple months, so she didn't feel too bad about not training for two days in a row. Everyone needed a break, right? Plus, she didn't think she should leave Harry. He was a mess when he showed up at her door. He didn't floo, or even call, it seemed like he had walked the whole way. He was asleep on the couch now, a pitiful bag of possessions beside him. He didn't even have a coat.

Hermione's flat was very small, no guest room. Just a corner off from the kitchen that served as an office, one bedroom, a pitiful bathroom, and this tiny excuse for a den. It was one of her many apartments and frankly she couldn't be bothered to upgrade since she was hardly ever in London anymore. Her career had taken her far and wide; as wide as the world. Her current venture of securing a very delicate species of _occlumenia vintrificus _from a tiny town outside Okinawa, Japan was basically wrapped up. She had only to secure the facilities here in London and arrange transport, all paperwork had been signed and sealed. Really this was the closest she had come to a real break in years. Maybe she should take a vacation? Or a retreat of some sort?

No, this relaxing business wasn't going to work for her. She got up, noted the time of 11:28pm and decided that an hour of training really was necessary if she was to sleep tonight. She searched through her laundry bin from some workout clothes. Navigating around her bed she somehow ended up stumbling over a shoe and came crashing down hard on her left knee. She heard the dreaded pop and she knew right then. She grabbed her wand and tried to cast a healing charm, but this was an old recurring injury. She knew she had just killed her knee and there was nothing for it except rest, and ice, and compression.

Ever since she started doing marathons she was terrified of re-injury. Running had happened to her about 4 years ago. She was dating a fitness buff and he would not shut up about running long distance and how euphoric it was. After they stopped seeing each other she decided that her normal workouts weren't doing anything for her anxiety any longer and running away from her problems in a physical sense sounded as a good a solution as any.

What she hadn't expected was how good she would be at it. The training, the planning, the pain, the glorious burning pain and the euphoria. It was not over-hyped enough in her opinion. She felt invincible when she finished her first race. Exhausted in every way and completely fireproof. There was no greater ego boost.

She conjured an icy pack, wrapped it around her knee, elevated it on some pillows and started to cry. She really needed to get some sleep. The room was spinning around her, and her thoughts started to race.

Harry knocked gently on the door, "Are you alright? I heard a bang." Hermione wiped her eyes hard with two fists, "I'm good, I just banged my knee. Clumsy, stupid, worthless…" the tears were free-flowing now. Harry sat down next to her and tried to comfort her, "We'll get you to the healers, yeah? You'll be fine 'Mione. Nothing could ever hold you back, not even physical impediments. You're unstoppable." Hermione sat up straight, "I'm a horrible person. In here feeling sorry for myself, and you're comforting me after everything you've been through tonight? My knee hardly seems to matter. I have nothing but my business and the race. I have nothing but this stupid knee." Hermione felt her head spin, chest tightening, stars were starting to form just outside her sight, how does she calm down again? Oh right, running. Which she can't do right now. Her breaths get shorter, she can't stop it. It's too fast.

Harry grabs Hermione's hands he gently squeezes and breathes in deep, exhaling in one long breath, "Breathe with me 'Mione. Your panicking. Just breath in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Breathe out slow and steady and long. Close your eyes. Breathe in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, that's it." Hermione breathed, very slow, she tried to find something meditative inside of her. With a shaky voice she looked at Harry and said, "Harry, I think I need help." Harry thought for a moment, "I know someone who can help. She's a witch actually but she has a degree in psychiatry. She can help, I'll leave you her number."

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! **


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter. This is my first attempt at writing anything long form, so I apologize if things are confusing. I'm doing the best I can and learning as I go. Thank you so much for reading.

Chapter 3:

**The Burrow – next day**

Ginny was so run down and agitated, she looked like fresh pounded hell and felt worse. Everything was turning to shit. At the burrow though life seemed just as it always had. That somehow made things worse. This was the morning she would pick her kids up and change their lives forever. Would Harry be here? Was he already here?

"Hello! Anyone awake yet?" Ginny walked in and threw her bag down in the hall. Lily was the first to run up and greet her. The young girl was a miniature Ginny, freckles, eyes, hair, her bouncy energy. She was a beautiful light in this world. Had Ginny ever been that young? "Mummy! You're here!" Lily ran and embraced her mother. Following behind was a surly James, still in his pajamas, and looking like he didn't sleep at all in them, "Morning," was all he could muster as he made his way to the kitchen.

Molly and Arthur, Fred and Ron, were here too, oh perfect Ginny thought. Let's just get the whole clan in here so she can announce to everyone she's getting a divorce from everyone's favorite son-in-law.

Molly was busy preparing breakfast, but she held an arm out for Ginny to embrace, "Morning Mum. Hi everyone." There was a murmuring of "Morning's" all around. Ginny decided to sit down, and Lily jumped into her lap, "Where's Dad?" Lily snuggles into Ginny and the silence is starting to grow. "Where's Daddy, Mum?" Lily tries putting a hand on Ginny's shoulder to wake her up, make her talk. Just then the sound of the floo breaks the silence, a moment later, Harry steps in. Ginny sets Lily down, "I have to talk to your father stay here Lils." And Ginny grabs Harry's arm and pulls him out to the living room, Harry waves at everyone on his way out of the kitchen.

"Good morning," Harry pulls away from Ginny and continues, "I figured we'd tell them all, at the same time, together." Ginny steps back a few and replies, "that's exactly what I was thinking, actually." Harry takes a deep breath, "This doesn't have to be such a big deal you know Gin? I'll come see the kids whenever is easiest for you. I've already got a lead on a flat not far from you and the kids." He swallows and tries to put on his brave face. Ginny's heart is actually breaking at this moment. Was she a monster? She felt like a monster right now. "You can see the kids whenever Harry, of course. Anytime at all. Let's go do this and just get it over with."

The scene went down much as one would expect. Lots of gasps and interrogations from all sides. The kids were told separately and that was much quieter. All in all, it could have been worse. Lily was the most confused. She didn't really seem to understand that Daddy wouldn't be living with them anymore. She was 7 now but she seemed like a baby to Harry, eternally his little girl. They sat in the living room, her on his lap and he trying to explain it to her again. "I'll have another house. You'll live in our house, like you always have but I'll be living somewhere else. I'll still see you all the time though. I just won't stay at your house. Do you understand?" Lily nodded but she still had a confused look on her face, "Daddy you don't stay at our house that often, right? I don't see how it's any different if you aren't with Mummy. You keep saying things will be the same, but you'll be somewhere else. You're already somewhere else, how is it any different?" Harry blinked rapidly, Merlin, she was right. They had already been living separate lives. He was away more than he was home, and when he was home, they were fighting. This might not be so much different from her perspective. Lily seemed perfectly fine with the arrangement. James was outside on his broom, it was hard to tell how he took the news. He was fiercely loyal to Ginny, that Harry knew. He would have to work hard to keep their relationship strong. He wasn't going to give up on his kids.

* * *

**Davis Flat - London**

Arianna was tumbling around the enormous living room area in their new flat. Everything was still in boxes and the furniture was sparse. Plenty of room for Ari to practice her cartwheels and not endanger any lamps or end tables whilst doing so. Tracey was trying to focus on her hundreds of emails from the realtor, the university, the ministry and who knows who else. Tracey's hair was up in a quick bun, her old glasses scratched and crooked, she couldn't find the box that contained her extra contact lenses. She'll need to make an appointment, write that down, add it to the list of 75,001 things to do. Arianna slipped into the floor to ceiling window and Tracey winced, "you all right love?" Arianna jumped up with two thumbs held high. This girl was going to seriously injure herself someday.

Her cell phone starts to vibrate, Arianna yells from the other end of the room, "Hey, when do I get a phone of my own anyway? I thought that was part of the deal?" Tracey holds up a hand and shushes her daughter as she looks at the cell phone screen, it's a number she's never seen. Could it be him? She answers, her heart skipping, "Hello this is Tracey Davis." On the other end a female voice rings out, "Hello, Tracey this is Hermione Granger."

**Café – London – Later that week**

If you had said that Hermione Granger would be the first person in London to call Doctor Davis for her services, she would have laughed, a loud barking laugh in your face. No way would Miss Perfect ever call her of all people for anything, let alone for help. Of course, Tracey agreed to meet with Hermione right away. She sounded very distraught. She wouldn't take her on as a client unless Hermione knew exactly what she was asking and what would happen in the therapist's office. Hermione was a muggle, so she might already know how it all works.

They sat down at the small café right near a window overlooking a very calm street. It was a Thursday, but it felt like a lazy Sunday. Hermione was dressed down in casual slacks, hair pulled back slick, her eyes rimmed with red. Tracey waited with her therapist face on, it's important that someone like Hermione who was used to being charge, was the one to make the first move and set the tone. Hermione bit her lip, hard, "I've injured my knee." A long pause, Tracey pulls out her notebook, "Do you mind if I take down a few notes?" Hermione waved a hand, "I injured my left knee." She looked over at Tracey's doodling as if to make sure she wrote _left_ knee. She continues, "I'm going to a healer right after this meeting, but I figured you were the more pressing issue. Or, rather, _I _was the more pressing issue. I wasn't like this before. For years and years, I was fine. This stress has just come out of nowhere and it's broken my fortitude."

Tracey can read between the lines. Hermione is having panic attacks. It seems she doesn't really know what they are. Tracey nods as if to tell Hermione to please continue. So, she does, "My chest, it feels like I can't breathe. I'm a long-distance runner you see, and knees and breathing are very important when one is running 10 kilometers."

So, she's been self-medicating as it were with exercise, and now she can't exercise so the anxiety is starting to take over. Makes sense to Tracey, is Hermione ready to hear it though? Would this powerful woman be willing to hear that she is, underneath it all, as human as everyone else? More information is required to determine this. Tracey asks her first question, "Does your chest tighten when you can't breathe, and are you active when it happens or just sitting still?" Hermione thinks for half a tick, "Just sitting still. My chest gets very tight. What does that mean? Is that bad?"

Tracey shakes her head, "No Hermione, not bad at all. I just want to hear exactly what you're feeling, exactly what's going on, so I can help you."

Hermione let's out an exasperated sigh, "If I knew what was going on I would fix it myself." Tracey glances at her, holds her gaze, so Hermione wants this taken care of pronto and put on the back burner where it belongs. She's going to be a tough nut to crack. It's time to tell her what's going to happen if she starts therapy with Doctor Davis.

"Hermione, if you decide to do therapy with me you will need to trust me. I, under the law, cannot divulge anything that happens behind my office doors once we start working together. With the exception of any intent to harm oneself or someone else. I want to make something very clear though, I am here to help you, but I cannot _fix_ you. There is nothing _wrong_ with you. You're human, humans have emotions. All I can do is give you tools to help you deal with what you're going through now and hopefully to prevent and help any further problems you may encounter. My techniques are best laid out in my research papers which I have made copies of for you to peruse. I also have here," Tracey hands Hermione a folder full of papers, "the payment schedule, patient records, HIPPA, and other forms patients are required to fill out. Take some time today after your other appointments and read through these papers. If you're interested I should be in my new office in the next couple weeks. I'll start seeing patients then, so we can schedule it whenever you are available, ok?"

Tracey gets up to leave, "One thing before I go. When your chest starts to tighten again I want you find one thing you see, one thing to touch, one thing you hear. And increase it slowly. Two things you see, two to touch, two you hear. Keep going until you've settled. Let me know if it works for you. Take care of yourself." Hermione simply nods as Tracey leaves. Hermione thinks she's starting to feel better already.

* * *

**Ministry of Magic – Next week, Monday**

The Ministry of Magic has been completely redone, it looks much more Muggle Modern than Tracey could have anticipated. The same statutes and ancient artifacts were there and it all gave a very clean image. It wasn't as dark and foreboding, which could be because of the remodel, or it could be because Tracey wasn't walking through the doors under duress.

Asking for directions at the front guest station, Tracey made her way up the lift. She met all her new co-workers, the whole team. Which consisted of one very young intern who said something about high output management training, and one counselor who was by first glance about 90 years old. On second glance though the old codger seemed closer to 120. He espoused the many benefits of paddling and advocated for forced memory retrieval in the first five minutes of meeting each other. This did not bode well.

She gave her team a few organizational tasks to do and showed them where to set up their stations and then she headed out in search of an ally.

When Tracey peered into Draco Malfoy's office the tall blonde was casually sitting at the edge of his desk arms stock straight holding on as he nodded vigorously at a very irate redheaded man. The tall redhead must be a Weasley. Tracey just wasn't sure which one but Draco was doing his best to appease the man and get him out of his office. Just s Draco tried to interrupt the red menace's tirade he spotted Tracey and smiled, "Unfortunately I have another appointment Mr. Weasley," he put his arms out in a shoo-shoo motion and went to welcome Tracey. The Weasel huffed out his face as red as his hair.

Draco gives Tracey a chaste hug and closes his office door behind her. "Merlin, that man does nothing but complain." Draco was clearly tired of keeping up appearances, Tracey was always in awe of his switch from Mr. Malfoy to Dear Drake. "Well I hate to barge in on you asking for a favor after, whatever that was I just witnessed." Draco twirls in his chair, "Doesn't matter a bit. How are you settling in? Where have they got you posted right now?"

Tracey leaned back in a very comfortable chair and let out a huge sigh. "It's that bad is it?" Draco leaned forward in concern. Tracey and Draco were not close until the final year at Hogwarts. After her run-away ruse, he learned a few things about her. Dark and horrible secrets that were well kept. He kept tabs on her and heard she was speaking up for some former death eaters in their defense. She worked with the American government to house and help refugees while attending university. He was impressed and reached out to her. Tracey always had an ear for him, and she stood up for the Malfoy name on many occasions. He considers her a sister more than anything else. She was at his wedding, one of only a handful of people, and their children had grown up together as much as they could with an ocean in-between them. He was glad to have her closer to home, since after his divorce friends seemed to be even fewer and farther between. Everyone wanted something from him.

Draco started scribbling away at his desk, he looked up at Tracey, "Let's get lunch in the cafeteria. I'll introduce you to a few people. You'll blow their feeble minds with your brilliance and everything will sort itself out. Yeah?" She was so grateful to have Draco and Jules in her life. She stood up before his desk and pulled herself up to full salute posture, "Right. The battle has just begun, and I won't sit idle." With that they headed out to face the drums of inter-office politics.

* * *

Harry was in the office today instead of out in the field. It was a rare occurrence and people tended to gather at his office door whenever he made an appearance. There was a bit of a line today, but of course Ron Weasley ignored the line and headed straight in. Harry was talking to two Aurors at once, in full conversation, and trying very hard to give notes to his assistant at the same time when Ron stopped in front of his desk with that _look_ on his face. The angry, I need to talk to my best friend, look.

Harry turns to the assistant and asks, "Can you take these notes and turn them into a schedule of sorts? These two gentlemen can go ahead to the conference room, and have the people outside come back in about 10 minutes ok?" His assistant finished scribbling and nodding excessively, while also tossing Ron a "tsk tsk" noise. Ron looked askance at the assistant and leaned against Harry's desk, his knuckles gripping and releasing with tension. Harry simply sat back and waited for his friend to explode, 3, 2, 1…

"He's going to stand up for that wanker's extradition. We are the ones who got him. We hunted that bastard down for what? 6 months? 7 months? All that work to get him set to rights and this skeevy little ferret somehow gets the extradition order through the bloody courts and what? What are we supposed to do? He knows the law backwards and forwards, he's supposed to be on _our _side. What could he possibly be getting out of this deal? There must be some angle I'm not seeing…"

Harry let his friend rant. More often than not Ron actually calmed himself down more than Harry ever did. All he really needed was a sounding board and to feel heard. Ron was already starting to come down.

"Have you heard? About him and Hermione? Blaise said something about them seeing each other."

Harry furrowed his brow, "No. Hermione is seeing Draco for business reasons only. I've been staying with her for a week she hasn't gone to see anyone, only business meetings as far as I know. I think I would notice something like that."

Ron seemed unconvinced, "It would be weird, but honestly? I can kind of see it happening. At least on his end the wanker."

Harry laughs, "Yeah from his end, I could see him trying it. 'Mione wouldn't have it though I don't think." Ron shrugs, it's not really his business and even though it might irk him he really had to stop letting Malfoy get under his skin. He looks at his friends face with concern, "How are you Harry? I'm an asshole for barging in here. How are you doing?" Harry gives his friend a half smile, "I'm ok, really I am. I just need to find a place is all. The kids are doing much better than I anticipated and Ginny is being great actually." Ron scoffs, "My sister is dead wrong about all this Harry. I don't want to take sides but,… You know what you need to do? You need to get out and get on with it Harry! You need to get back on the horse!"

Harry didn't like the sound of this. He throws up his hands as if to say, no, no please don't do the guy thing where you take me out to get drunk and forget about my ex, I'm good I don't need it. Ron waves his hand, "No, no, not like that. Just go out on a date. Something casual to get back in the swing. I just saw Tracey Davis earlier and she was looking bang-on. Didn't you have a thing with her that summer after school?" Harry went ghost white, Tracey was here? Where was she? "Tracey was here?" Ron nods enthusiastically, "Yes! She was in Malfoy's office a while ago. I think she's on level 3 where the old records rooms used to be. You know down that dodgy little corridor with the troll paintings?"

Harry had to play this just right. He couldn't go out searching everywhere for her, she'd think him a stalker. He didn't want to scare her away again. He would need Ron's help. "Ron, can you do me a favor?"

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! **


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter. I have such a profound respect for all the authors on this site and other fan fiction sites. Merlin alive it's hard to write this stuff y'all! If you have a story banging around in your head I want to encourage you to JUST WRITE IT. Just do it. It's hard but it's also a lot of fun. Cheers to you dear readers I appreciate all of you!

Chapter 4:

**Tracey's private office - London**

Tracey had been at the Ministry for three days now and she hadn't seen nor heard from Harry. She did hear through the grapevine that he left his wife and they were shockingly amicable about the whole divorce situation. He clearly would need time to process. As much as she wanted to reach out it just wasn't her place. Besides she had TWO offices to set up and a quote/unquote _team_ to put together. She did manage to get the old codger off the case by not so subtly pushing him into retirement. That meant she could start interviews soon.

Her new private office was where she was going to work with clients and today she was setting it up with her daughter. Hopefully she'd be able to teach after the ministry team was up and running. Was she taking on too much? Probably. She often thought that one lifetime wasn't enough to accomplish everything she wanted. As the saying goes, "if you're working on a problem that can be solved in your lifetime, then you aren't thinking big enough." Tracey had no problem thinking big. Much like her new patient Hermione, actually. Hermione had called Tracey not 12 hours after their initial meeting and decided to start therapy. That was a woman who could problem solve, and Tracey admired her.

Arianna was supposed to be helping her set-up her bookshelves, but she was too busy reading said books instead of putting them away. Tracey tapped her shoulder, "Please help me darling. You can read whatever you want once were finished." Arianna spun around fast, "Even those sex books?" Tracey bit back, "No, not those. Well, maybe the one without pictures and no case studies. You would need to help first though." Arianna sighed and started organizing. She came across an old Hogwarts yearbook and opened it up. There were so many pictures of Harry Potter stuck to the inside pages. They weren't photos from the yearbook, they looked like personal snaps. Harry and her Mom in lots of funny poses and where she had her arm around him and he was just staring at her.

Arianna couldn't believe she'd never seen these before. She'd seen so many of Mom's magical photos. As loathe as she was to admit it, Magical Photos were superior to Muggle ones she always thought. "Have you been hiding these from me? These photos of you and Harry Potter? Were you two friends in school? Why is he…" Tracey grabbed the yearbook from her daughter's hands in an uncharacteristic huff. She smoothed her hand over the front cover, "It's personal darling. It shouldn't have been in that box." Tracey walked out as is if that were that.

She wasn't getting away with that. Arianna stomped after her, "What year is that from? 1999 or 2000? I was born in 2001. Holy shit. Is Harry Potter my father?" Tracey put the yearbook in her briefcase and breathed in two deep calming breaths before confronting her daughter who was continuing to ask the same questions over and over, "Who is he? Who is my father? I'm going to this witch school for you! And you won't even tell me! You never tell me anything!"

Tracey knew this was coming and she had her speech all planned out. Somehow that speech wasn't coming out. She stood there, with a desperate need to hug her baby girl and take all her pain away. "Please let me try to explain?" Arianna was upset, but not crying. She stood nose to nose with her mother and waited. She had patience too, Tracey spoke softly, "I don't know who your father is. I was with one man, and then I was with another. It is a possibility that your father is someone who neither of us would ever want to know. I ran away to protect us. Do you need any more of the story right now? I'm not sure either of us is ready. I think we should go to a counselor together to discuss it."

Arianna steps back and heads into the waiting area. She calmly opens the door out to the hall and walks out. Tracey runs after her but doesn't press in on her space. She just hangs back, waiting until she's needed. She'll wait right out of sight until she's needed.

* * *

**Ginny Weasley's flat - London**

Ginny is packing up some of Harry's things when the doorbell rings. It startles her and put her on guard since she wasn't expecting anyone and almost everyone floos to her place. No one uses the front door. She then hears a loud knocking. "I'm coming! Hold on!" Ginny opens the door to find her very tall, very scowl faced brother Ron. He puts his hands up in a half greeting half placating kind of way, "I need to talk to you about Harry. And don't you say anything!"

Ginny offered him entry and then brought her own scowl forward, "How are we supposed to converse if I'm not allowed to talk Ronald?" Ronald wagged his finger, "Don't sass me. I need to know what happened with Harry, but I also want you to know that I'm on his side here Ginny. I won't let you bad mouth him."

Ginny sighed, exasperated by the idiocy that Ron so frequently displayed, "I would never bad mouth Harry. Believe it or not grown people can break up, get divorced and co-parent quite effectively without resorting to name calling or misplaced aggression. _Real_ grown up stuff."

Ron was about to start again when there was another knock on the door. "Sod it all," cried Ginny. She flung the door wide and revealed a very business casual Hermione Granger. She embraced Ginny with warmth and smiles, "Hello! I'm here to help with packing and delivering. I'll be your owl for the day!" Hermione seemed brighter than she had been recently, Ginny grunted in response, "Lovely, thank you."

Ron was looking very uncomfortable. Hermione and he didn't really occupy the same space anymore, ever. He hadn't seen her up close and in person in a long time. Hoping the tension was all in his head he yelled rather too loudly, "Hey 'Mione!" Hermione looked at him while taking off her shoes, she was rummaging in an athletic bag for her trainers, she replied, "Hello there. Nice to see you." Ron looked sheepish, "Yeah you too." The awkward silence that followed could fill tombs.

Ginny was too busy for this she went into the living room and started taping up boxes. She wanted to get this done before she had to pick up the kids from the Burrow. Hermione could sense Ginny's eagerness, so she went to work helping her, she tied her hair back as she walked right past Ron who had a very dejected expression. "Am in your guys way then?" Ron wasn't sure if he could get this conversation back on track.

"No Ron," Ginny replied, "we just have so much to do. Actually, Hermione could you go sort through the books upstairs? You know what's mine." Hermione hurried off upstairs without a word. "Ginny, what's up with Hermione? Is she ok?" Ron was concerned Ginny could tell, and she was concerned too. Hermione didn't seem like herself at all. "I… honestly," Ginny took a deep breath, "I think she's having a very early mid-life crisis. I mean she's not married," she lowered her voice, "no kids." Ron nodded, "Yeah. I don't know. I never had kids or got married, things are alright for me. I think it must be something more." Ginny was impressed with his astuteness, subtleties weren't Ron's forte usually. Then again, his strategy development had given him quite the reputation in the Auror office. Maybe Ron had finally grown up?

Shaking her head Ginny replied, "I don't know. I'll talk to her. You talk to Harry ok? Deal?" Ron looked confused, "You still care about Harry?" Ginny rolled her eyes, "we were together for 10 years Ron. We have two kids together. You don't just stop caring, even if you're not in love anymore, even if you can't live with someone anymore. Like I said," Ron cut her off, "real grown up stuff. Yeah I get it now."

* * *

**Small strange Muggle Café - London**

Waiting for Draco Malfoy had become a bad habit of Hermione's. Next time they scheduled a meeting she was determined to be at least 45 minutes late. Make him wait. See how he likes it. She was waiting at an outside table at a café she had never noticed before Malfoy had mentioned it. He really liked this place for some reason. It was small, noisy inside and busy on a Friday afternoon, hence Hermione opting for an outside table. She was starting to get nervous in large crowds and cramped spaces. She was grateful that Tracey had found her new office for seeing patients so quickly, she was going to see her on Monday, and it was one of the only things holding her together.

Suddenly Draco just appeared in front of her and slammed down into the seat opposite, "I'm late, I know please don't harp on about it? I can't take the sound of your screeching right now." Hermione's mouth formed a thin line, "A simple, 'Hello, I'm sorry' would have sufficed Mr. Malfoy." Draco gave her a tight-lipped smile. He looked her up and down in that appraising way he always did, "You look like shit Granger. You need to take a real forsaken break before you kill yourself." At that Hermione actually laughed, "You are one to talk. You'd work yourself to death far before me and you know it."

After that they cut to the chase and hammered out their business dealings. Really this was nothing that couldn't have been done on the phone or the floo, but Draco wanted to see her in person for some reason. Now that the meeting was over, she was going to find out that reason. "Hermione," he said softly, "I think we work well together, and we've become friendly over the years." He paused, Hermione didn't know whether she should agree or disagree, it could be bad for business to piss off one of the best international lawyers in Britain, she decided a small nod would suffice. He took this as a good sign and continued, "I think we should date."

Hermione couldn't stop her mouth from hitting the floor. Why on earth would he do this? And now of all times? There was a moment a few years ago, they were tipsy, it was Paris, they had a snog session. It was nice, but he was married at the time, only just barely, and she was starting her career. They had a moment and it had passed. Thank Merlin.

Hermione uncrosses her legs, grabs her bag, and looks at him with as much calm and composure as she can muster, "Draco, I'm not interested in you in that way. I'm very sorry. I hope we can still maintain a business relationship that will benefit both of us. Please excuse me." She got up to leave, and he didn't try to stop her. He wanted to, but he didn't. Maybe he had missed his moment. Maybe, that was for the best.

* * *

**Tracey's flat - London**

In their new flat the Davis' were starting to get a routine down. Arianna had dropped the paternity inquiries for now and Tracey was looking into a therapist for them, so they could work it out. School was starting, and they were prepared in every way except emotionally. Arianna had withdrawn, and Tracey really couldn't blame her. They had planned a big weekend. Then Harry called. Arianna knew it was him, she just knew it. The way her mother just dropped everything and said yes to his offer of dinner, she really hoped she would get answers before school started.

Tracey felt guilty leaving Arianna with a stranger when she only had a precious few days left with her. It seemed that Arianna didn't feel anything except a great desire to be rid of her mother. So, she's going out with Harry Potter and heaven help them all.

Grabbing Arianna in a full bear hug she stares into her daughter's eyes, "I love you and please behave. I'll be back before you go to sleep." Arianna patted her Mom's shoulder, "Please don't rush back. Just have fun." Fighting back tears of guilt and confusion Tracey headed out into London on a Friday night.

The restaurant was packed. Tracey couldn't even elbow her way through the crowd. She spotted Harry very near the entrance, her palms were sweating, it was so loud that Harry had to lean to talk in her ear, "Hi. Can we go anywhere else?" Tracey smiled, "Yes! Please!" They left holding hands.

They held hands in silence, so glad to be out of the noise. Drizzle was starting to fall, and Harry's glasses were getting splattered. Tracey directed them under an awning of a closed shop. He was decently disheveled as per usual, although his hair did look like he may have attempted to style it. She was wearing a very off-season sweater dress and no rain coat. "I guess we should have checked the weather," Tracey pointed at their complete lack of rain gear or umbrellas. Harry was being quiet, why was he being so quiet?

He pulled a piece of fuzz off her sweater dress and just lingered in her gaze for way too long. To be fair she couldn't help but stare either. "I keep thinking," Harry disengaged their hands to clean his glasses, "that if I stop looking at you, if you're out of my sight for even a moment, that you'll just, disappear. Again." Tracey's heart was simultaneously broken and erratic, she attempted to speak, and it came out in a whisper cry, "I'm sorry Harry. You've no idea how sorry I am. I can't do anything about the past. Can we please try and just get to know each other now? Can we leave the past behind us? I'm willing to do that."

Harry thought well sure, of course you can do that! I didn't do anything! Maybe that was the problem. He hadn't known where she'd gone but he didn't try to find her. Call it capricious youth, or just a martyr complex, but he didn't seek her out when she ran away with no explanation. No, he wasn't going to start this, whatever this was, whether anger, resentment, or confusion. It would be different this time because he was choosing something better, something less broken. "Do you trust me?" Harry looked at her, into her eyes and beyond, "Yes," she replied, "I trust you." He grabbed her hand and apparated them away.

They were outside an old Muggle bookstore in a whole different part of the city. They were actually, rather close to Harry's new place. He might have done that subconsciously though, who knows? They wandered about the store, picking up their favorites and talking about how big their dream libraries would be. "I don't think I'd need as much room as you," Harry raised his eyebrows, "you'd have to have a whole half dedicated to just psychiatry and neuroscience." Tracey didn't even try to disagree, "It's true. I wouldn't even want that many Magical texts to be honest. It's not as big a part of my life as it once was." Harry replied, "Right so, half for my Magical Tomes then." Tracey bit her lip; did he notice his slip up? Was it a slip up at all? He must have noticed, because he coughed and changed the subject, "Why have you stopped using magic as much?"

Now they were entering that territory again. She wasn't ready to go down that path yet. She wanted to unload everything, but she couldn't risk pushing him away. Carefully she replied, "It just wasn't the path for me. I wanted to help people, all people, and you can't really do that with just magic." Harry thought on her words. Tracey started browsing the Young Adult section just out of habit. She grabbed a book on circumnavigating the world, something Arianna would definitely like. Harry looked at the copy in her hand, "James would probably hate that. He hates anything fairy tale adjacent." Tracey replied, "I was just thinking Arianna would love something like this." Harry continued, "It's strange how different children can be. I mean, I know everyone is different. But when you see them from the beginning and they just seem so.." Tracey picked up his thought, "new. New and open to everything." Harry continued, "Yeah, unencumbered. Uninhibited. How can everything be so different and yet the same?"

It was an area of study Tracey had never gone too deep into. "Nature versus nurture is the short answer, Harry."

Wandering around the store and talking about their kids put them in a very good banter.

Harry, "Well James is very much like his name sake. Who does Arianna favor?"

Tracey kept her head and walked for the door out into the street the cool air felt like a reprieve from this inevitable line of questioning. "Arianna is unlike anyone I've ever met."

"Is she mine?" The words just tumbled out. He wanted to know the answer to this more than anything else, more than why she left all those years ago. He grabbed her hand and squeezed, "I'm not trying to pressure you. I just think I deserve to know if she is?" It sounded like a question, but it was more a statement.

"Of course, you deserve to know Harry. I wish I did know, but I don't. I don't know for sure."

"_Did you sleep with someone else? You must have right, for it to even be a question."_

"Do we have to do this out in the middle of the street?"

"_My place is right nearby."_

"No. I don't want to go to your place."

"_Then where is the right place? And when is the right time for you to tell me you cheated on me, got pregnant and ran away from your problems? Instead of facing them with any dignity."_

"That's not fair. I can't talk to you like this. I'm sorry." She pulled away from him and hid behind the nearest building behind them to apparate away.

Harry kicked the building, rammed his head into the wall, and screamed in frustration. He totally blew it. Or maybe she did? Harry walked home in deep contemplation and his mind went back, as it often did when he was alone, back to Hogwarts.

* * *

**Hogwarts Year 4 for Harry Potter & Crew – Library, some evening**.

_The Hogwarts Library was emptying out now that Hermione and Victor Krum had vacated the premises. The fan clubs were flittering by as Harry sat ensconced in books, quills and ink. He sat at a rather large table, a table big enough to accommodate the group that was supposed to be working on this group potions essay. He looked around the library taking his stiff legs for a walk when at the opposite side of the stacks he saw another large, big enough for a group table, occupied by a single Slytherin girl. Tracey Davis whose glasses were sliding almost completely off the tip of her nose, she had her tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth in concentration. The sight made Harry smile. He had had a fleeting fancy for Tracey that helped him get through potions lessons at times. She was very serious looking, or rather, she tried to be serious looking, but he had caught glimpses of the playful girl underneath. She twirled her quill and hummed in class when she thought no one was looking. She hummed Muggle tunes, Harry was sure of it. She was half-blood apparently, a rarity for Slytherin._

_As he started walking towards her he knew exactly the angle he was going to take, dumb. Exceptionally dumb and confused, and in need of assistance. "Hi Tracey? Umm. I'm in need of some help on this project can I borrow your notes?" Tracey smiled at him, not in a knowing way, not in a sly way, in a very off-guarded and warm way. She had a great smile he thought. She started ruffling through some papers, "Oh, yes. I think I have something here. My group has abandoned me. How's your group doing?" Harry was letting his eyes wander since she was distracted he took it as an opportunity to sit next to her, "My group is in complete shambles at the moment." Their eyes met at this and they both smiled. Tracey had made up her mind then, "Well, we should work together. Don't you think?" Harry nodded and then they worked, and talked, and laughed. No Gryffindor or Slytherin stood witness, as they toiled away that night alone._

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! **


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I don't own anything, and I'm not paid for anything, at all. Yay unemployment! So. Much. Fun. That's sarcasm people. Please enjoy! Review! Thank YOU!

Chapter 5:

**Harry's New Flat - London**

It was Sunday and the kids had just gone home, to Ginny's. He was all settled in his new flat and Harry had a great weekend with the kids all things considered. He would see James off at the train station tomorrow with Ginny and a successful outing this weekend proved there should be no awkwardness about their co-parenting. No bitterness either, shockingly. Lily had mentioned that Ginny stayed up very late since Harry had left, on a Muggle phone with someone. He was curious who she would know with a cell phone. Or why she would have one at all?

Tonight, was about something else though. Tonight, was about his memories. How many times had Dumbledore said that you need to look at something more than once to really understand it? So, he had remembered him and Tracey meeting in fourth year, obviously nothing there. Now he needed to go back to the night she left. Or maybe to start somewhere in the middle was the best bet? He would fast forward through the sensitive bits maybe. He leaned over the pensieve and held his breath thinking of their last day together. He dipped his hand into the bowl and transported into his memory of their last day together.

**Harry's very tiny flat, London, Summer 2000**

_Harry couldn't believe his luck landing this flat. It was right near the ministry, he could even walk to training if he wanted. Of course, it was very small. A studio, a meager bathroom and a kitchenette with a barely working fridge, but it was a home. His home. He had this all to himself. Grimmauld place was not a home. Actually, this wasn't much of one either, but he and Tracey would be traveling so much they wouldn't have time for proper housing._

_Tracey was touring the place now. She looked a little too thoughtful._

"_You hate it."_

_She shook her head, "I love it!" She squealed and gave Harry a running hug._

Present day Harry has decided to fast forward through their christening of the new flat. That was too painful to watch.

_As they lie around tangled up in each other's limbs, Tracey drew a magical map in the air with her wand. A crude map of Europe as they discussed their plans._

_She began, "So we start here, in Spain. We have to do," she circled a small path through some towns he couldn't pronounce, "all this area here. Then shall we come back home? Or just keep going? What do you want to do Harry?"_

_Harry blew the hair out of his face and rubbed his nose, "Well where is home exactly? I mean you're selling your families place right? So, we come back to the flat."_

_Tracey held her breath. A very fat pause was taking place. "Are you asking me to move in?"_

"_Well," Harry sat up straight and leaned over her. Her body was a thing of remarkable beauty, but her eyes were the kindest he had ever seen. They were stormy blue-grey and held his soul inside them. He felt tied to her and it didn't frighten him in any way. He was sure of something, at long last. "Yes. Move in with me. Marry me. I don't want to do anything in this life without you."_

_Tracey couldn't feel her body anymore. This was an out of body experience she was having. "OK. Yes." She pulled him in for a kiss and it was sweet and full of love, "I love you Harry."_

Present day Harry didn't know how much more he could take. He was studying her eyes, trying to see her thoughts. Was she hiding something here in this moment? Was she lying to him? He remembers he had never been happier than in that moment. So, was it all a lie?

_Tracey gets up to get dressed and Harry lets out a moan, "No clothes! This is a 'no clothes' flat! I make the rules." Tracey laughs, "I have to get going remember? I have that charity auction this afternoon and then, oh shoot. I have to leave right now. The realtor said someone is coming by the house to look at it. I have to grab some things out of there before they do the showing." _

_Harry tried to pull her down, but she slipped out of his grasp. She leaned down to give him a kiss, and then she twirled away from him and out of the flat._

Out of his life forever, maybe. Harry didn't want to be so fatalistic, but he had to know what happened between this, love, moving in, shagging each other crazy, engagement; to sneaking off to half way around the world without a good-bye. He needed Tracey's memories.

* * *

**Tracey's Private Office – Monday Morning**

The office was freezing. The thermostat had an attitude Tracey decided. Everything had come together nicely though. The furniture was second hand but very subdued and comfortable. Everything was clean and orderly, and she was ready to start Hermione Granger's treatment. She had much more confidence about handling Miss Granger than she did about handling Arianna earlier that morning at the train station. She had to drop her daughter off quite early in order to get to her office in time for her first and only appointment. Right after this she headed to the ministry for a mountain of political maneuvering she was simply not equipped for. Politicking was a talent of many Slytherin's current and former, but she was not graced with such.

A faint knock on the door and Hermione stepped into the office. "I hope you're ready for me," Hermione took a look at her surroundings and seemed to find it adequate. Tracey went to shake her hand, "Please Miss Granger have a seat."

Hermione held up her finger, then reached into her bag, "Here is your paperwork. I wanted to ask you more about the exposure therapy you've developed and other types of therapy you offer."

Tracey took the papers to her desk. Motioned for Hermione to sit down, and then she took the seat opposite her. She began to explain her techniques and exactly what would happen in this room. It took up a big chunk of session time and Tracey always hated this part of therapy. She knows everyone needs to know what they're getting into, but the digging into the problems part was where she really soared. Getting to know you games seemed a waste of time to her.

Tracey, "So, I have to ask is it ok if I take notes during our sessions?" Hermione nodded, Tracey continued, "Good. Now, why are you here today?"

Hermione looked a little confused, "I'm here because of stress?"

Tracey clarified, "I just want you to tell me in your own words exactly what you want out of therapy and why you're here."

Hermione seemed a little put off by this statement, "I think if I knew exactly what was going on it wouldn't be a problem now would it?" Tracey did not answer or even move, she simply waited. Patience.

Hermione huffed, "I can't train. I can't work. I can't concentrate on anything. My mind is overheating with so much thinking. I feel the weight of the world on my chest, my shoulders, my_ knee_. Everything in my head is a loud buzzsaw and it's distracting. I'm having trouble sleeping. I have to keep myself busy for hours at night until I pass out."

Tracey was writing when she heard the tell-tale sniffles. She got Hermione's attention with a simple nod to the left and pointed to the tissues in front of her. She also wordlessly offered a cup of water which was also on the table in front of her.

Hermione continued, "Draco Malfoy asked me out last week." Hermione stared at Tracey, looking for a glimmer of recognition, or any sort of glance or twinge. She saw nothing, "We have become friends of a sort over the years. I'm just not interested in him. Why am I not interested in him? He's attractive, smart, wealthy, sort of stuck up and conniving but we have a good rapport." Hermione took a few moments to really think. Why didn't she fancy Draco? She felt nothing but friendly towards him, the same way she felt about Harry or Ron or Carl or Peter or any of the other number of men she's known in her life. With Draco it wasn't exactly the same, but it was in that same vein.

Tracey stopped writing and looked at Hermione, "Maybe it's just simply not a good time. You know it's not a good time deep down inside, since you have other things to work out. It's perfectly fine to put yourself first. It seems to me you are the sort of person to put others' feelings first and your work first. It's encouraging though, that you've taken to running it's a good start to really getting to know who you are."

Hermione thought on this, "You mean I'm discovering myself? Now? This is really not a good time for that." Tracey really wanted to laugh at that, instead she said, "Well, the timing is never going to be right. We need to work together to get to the heart of your anxiety. Why was your knee injury the trigger? I think we should do emdr to help you process some of your... trauma."

Hermione was silent at that. After a few moments she said, "I have anxiety. That's what this is."

The wheels were turning now, and Tracey knew, Hermione was going to be just fine. "I want you to know that I am very good at this type of therapy. We will do this, and it will help you."

* * *

**Hogwarts First day of school 2012**

**Slytherin House**

Julien cannot believe his unbelievable rotten forsaken luck. Not only was he stuck at this stupid school with these babies, but Ari had been sorted into Gryffindor! It made no sense at all. She was a Davis, true no one knew who her father was, but he certainly wasn't a bloody Gryffindor. It made Jules feel sorry for her honestly, yes, that's what this was; pity. Nothing was going according to plan. Julien Malfoy was going to have to hatch a new plan, and oh how proud Dear Father would be.

Julien stood up on a table and announced to the whole common room, "Who wants to play a game? I promise that everyone in this house will be a winner in this game, and everyone in Gryffindor will be dead." Many cheers erupted from his fellow first years and a few upperclassmen gave him a stern look and an eye-roll. No matter, their time was over. It was Jules' turn now.

**Gryffindor House**

Of all the stupid, idiotic luck. Why hadn't she argued for Slytherin house? Or even Hufflepuff for that matter? The hat had made it clear, she was a Gryffindor and she didn't even fight it! The look on Jules face was one of pure murder. He was never going to forgive her, and he was the only friend she had at this stupid school full of stupid babies!

Arianna stayed in the common room until the embers started to die in the fire, and that's when she let the tears fall. She stared at the fire and finally let her feelings take over. Better out than in, especially with "big" feelings as Mom always called them. She heard a shuffling to her right, she wasn't as alone as she thought.

"Hi, are you ok?" James handed her a hanky and sat down beside her. He was brash, wasn't he? She didn't even know him. Oh right, everyone in Gryffindor were buddy friends forever! Heart emojis! Merlin, she wanted to vomit.

"I'm fine. Thank you." Arianna took the proffered hanky and tried to suck back her flowing tears.

James was twirling his wand and sucking on his lip. Then he spoke, "You didn't want to be in Gryffindor then? Why not?"

Arianna rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh, "I didn't want to be here at Hogwarts at all. I wanted to be home in_ America_. Where things are normal."

James shot her a very skeptical look, "You think America is normal?" He laughed at that.

Arianna tried to look at him cross, but he was right, "It's not normal, but it's _my normal_."

James very seriously considered what she was saying. "I've never met anyone who didn't want to do magic at magic school. You are not like other people."

That was the understatement of the century as far as Arianna was concerned.

* * *

**Ministry office of Psychiatry and Veterans Mental Health Initiative (Tracey's Ministry Office) – before dawn**

Ron does not like this one bit. If Harry weren't his best mate in the universe he would never be doing this. Shuffling through the papers in Tracey's very messy and cramped ministry office in the wee hours of the morning was not what he had signed up for. Ok, well, maybe it was because he agreed before even knowing what it was Harry wanted.

Harry wanted Tracey's memories. That was not possible as far as Ron knew. Some kind of proof or record of something would have to do. He was really hoping there was a birth certificate around here somewhere.

Ron crouches down between the tiny desk and several stacks of boxes piled around the room. Most of these were labeled from the American military as classified. He had a feeling those boxes were definitely enchanted somehow. There was one on the bottom though with no label.

He pulled the box out as delicately as possible, did a cursory _revelio_, and opened it up. It had a bunch of personal papers, this might be the jackpot. So many pictures of Tracey and Arianna. They seemed to travel a lot. There was one of Arianna as a little girl with another little boy, it looked like Malfoy Manor in the background. He'd better take that one to Harry. Malfoy was always bad news.

There was also some kind of house deed. Her parent's death certificates were in the same folder. Harry had mentioned she sold her family house, but this was the deed. He couldn't snag this one, he took a photo instead. There was a record of birth in here, Arianna May Davis, Born March 13, 2001. He took a picture of that too. Harry would know the timeline better than him.

Ron thought Harry was going to owe him big time for this; as he very quietly made his way out of the office.

* * *

Harry was in a foul mood and it was only Wednesday. James had sent him an owl though so that was good. The contents of the owl however were, well, less than good. Apparently, the young Malfoy had decided James was his prime target for harassment. He also learned that Arianna was in Gryffindor. If that wasn't a kick in the teeth.

Ron had dropped off something interesting as well. Arianna was born in March of 2001. That meant they were definitely together when she was conceived, no doubt. It was that crazy summer after the last year at Hogwarts, after the war, and they certainly weren't always careful. If Tracey has kept him from his daughter she must have had a reason. If Arianna wasn't his daughter, then who was her father?

There was a picture of little Julien Malfoy and Arianna Davis together at Malfoy Manor. That was concerning. That meant Tracey had been in Britain, perhaps on many occasions and Harry had never known, and Tracey had never tried to reach him.

Before he could even hatch a plan, he was dialing Tracey's cell number. "Hey Tracey, it's Harry."

"_Oh Harry. I didn't know you had a cell phone?"_

"Well you gave me your number, so I picked one up."

"_Yes, well, welcome to the 21__st__."_

Harry smiled at that, "Thanks. I was wondering if we could get together this week?"

A long pause. Tracey spoke slowly and softly, "I don't think that's a good idea right now. I'm sorry. I'm swamped with work and…"

"No. That's fine. I completely understand. Another time then?"

Tracey replied, "Maybe. Maybe another time. I have to go."

Dial tone. Harry gets back to work. His mind reaching far back to the first time Tracey had turned him down.

* * *

**Hogwarts 4 May 1998 after the battle - castle exterior/interior**

_The scene was still disturbing, but at least less things were on fire or smoking now. The haze actually seemed lighter this morning. Harry was going to stay with Hermione and Ron and everyone else until Hogwarts was back to rights. Lots of people who were injured during the battle are leaving today though and there's one person in particular Harry really wants to check on._

_Tracey Davis stood in a pair of old torn jeans and a very oversized long sleeve shirt. Her arm was still sore from the break but overall, she felt good physically. They were sending her home today. Home. Her empty home. She didn't even know if she could bear the sight of it. So many people had died, the grief in the air at Hogwarts was overwhelming so many wanted to escape it. Tracey wouldn't ever be able to escape it since her home was just as thick with grief. Her parents were murdered by Death Eaters. Her eyes were watering already, and she hadn't even made it halfway through the castle._

_Harry saw her on the staircase and she looked so lost. Everyone was a little lost since the rebuilding had started but Tracey looked completely broken. His heart lurched. He waited for her at the bottom of the steps and when she saw him there she smiled. Just the same smile she always had for him. Warm and sweet and a little bit secret. _

"_How are you doing? Is your arm hurting?" Harry was so tender it made Tracey melt, "I'm fine. It doesn't hurt, physically at all." Harry gave her a look full of knowing, "I wanted to see you before you left because, I know you're alone now." Tracey could feel tears forming. Harry continued, "But you don't have to be. I mean, you should come back to Hogwarts and finish school with us. I know this isn't the most opportune time but were all just living in the moment right now." Harry took a deep breath and Tracey shudder as he grabbed her hand, "Tracey, will you go out with me? Even if you don't come back to Hogwarts, I'd still like to go out sometime. If you'd like that." _

_Tracey hugged him tightly her tears fell softly, and she made no sound of distress as she whispered to him, "I can't promise anything right now Harry. I have so many things to sort out. I'm not in a good place right now. You deserve someone who can be there for you fully. It's not me. Not right now."_

_Harry held her tighter, "I know what you're going through. I can help you. I'm always here for you whenever you need me. I won't ever give up on you."_

_They pulled out of their embrace and Harry wiped away her tears, "So don't answer me right now ok? Go and take care of whatever you need to, just promise me you'll think about me, about us? Promise me you'll come back someday?"_

_The thought of saying goodbye to Harry was like pouring salt on a gaping wound. Tracey never wanted to say goodbye to him. So, she didn't._

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! **


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I don't own Harry Potter or any characters from it. All original characters are mine though. So that's something eh!? Thank you so much for reading!

Chapter 6:

Draco didn't know how to handle this kid. In the middle of a meeting with the Minister of forsaken Magic he gets a note that Julien is in the Hogwarts infirmary. What had the fool boy done? Now he had to make his excuses and leave a room full of people who were just desperate to outmaneuver him at every turn. He leaned over to Ron Weasley of all people and said quietly, "I have an emergency situation. I need to bow out, can you make excuses for me?" Ron stared at him like he'd grown horns. "Please, Weasley, ok? I'm saying please and asking nicely and of course," Draco looked him in the eyes for his patented Malfoy stare of my-word-is-my-bond, "I'll _owe _you." Ron gave a little smile at that, "Yeah, alright, get out of here. I got it." Draco didn't seem to be convinced but he headed out anyway.

The Hogwarts infirmary still looked and smelled the same. No matter what, even in the worst part of the castle, Draco loved this old place. It held some of his best and worst memories. He wanted only the best memories for his only son. It wasn't happening that way though by the look of it.

Madam Patil looks sternly at Draco, "He's going to be just fine. It's a good thing it's Friday because I want him out of here, but he needs to rest at home. Mr. Malfoy, you need to talk to your son about all these pranks and dangerous activities." Draco put up a hand to stop her, "It will be taken care of. He won't be back in the infirmary, Merlin willing." She left him alone with his son.

Julien was feigning sleep when Draco sat down on the bed beside him. "I know you're not sleeping. Sit up."

Julien yawned and grabbed his head in mock pain, "Ow. My head is awful Da."

"Please don't even try it." Draco pulled him up by the arm and let out a frustrated sigh. "I know that you're having a hard time," Julien cut him off with a loud groan, "Ugh. Dad. I don't want to talk about feelings. It was a prank gone wrong! And no one was hurt."

Draco stared daggers at him, "You're in. The. Infirmary. You. Were. Hurt. You're either daft, or you have a death wish, or you want to be kicked out," Julien made a strangled noise of protest, but Draco got louder to drown him out, "since I'm _sure_ none of these are the _case,_ you will be coming home this weekend and we will be working on this together."

Julien shifted uncomfortably, "Potter Junior is a menace. He gets away with everything!"

Draco sucked in his cheeks and said thoughtfully, "Yes well, like father, like son. You just need to forget about him and focus on your schooling." He sounded so very much like a father, and it both humbled him and annoyed him.

When they arrived at their townhome in London Tracey was waiting for them in the living room. Julien entered first and looked a bit sheepishly at Tracey, "Hello." Tracey gave Julien a loving concerned look, "Hello. Are you alright Jules? I was so worried about you." She went to give him a half hug and he let her and smiled a little at the gesture. Julien replied, "I'm fine really. Are you staying for dinner?"

Draco waltzed in just then, "She's not staying for dinner. I need to discuss some things with her for a moment alone please. Go to your room."

Jules did as he was told, moping the whole way. Tracey stood patiently while Draco scowled and moaned. She broke the silence, "You need to be gentler with him Draco." Draco guffawed, "That was gentle! Do you not remember my father at all?"

Tracey, "Of course I do. You're not him and Jules is not you."

Draco, "He is me though, isn't he? Fighting with Potter, being despondent and horrid to everyone around him."

Ignoring his self-deprecation Tracey cut to the point, "You're right to reach out for help. I don't think I'm the right person though."

Draco looked offended, "Tracey you are the ONLY person I would ask to help with this. Don't you see? He will talk to you. You already have a relationship, and..."

"And that's why I can't do it. It's unprofessional. I care about you and Jules. I don't want to risk our friendship."

Draco took a moment. "What if I paid you an ungodly amount of money?" Tracey was offended by this and it showed.

Draco walked closer to her and pleaded, "I didn't want to do this. You're making me cash in my favor though, aren't you?"

Tracey faltered, she trembled slightly. Draco grabbed her arms in a comforting motion, "You owe me Tracey. I didn't want to ever cash in on it. But you do owe me." Tracey nodded slightly, her voice broke when she spoke, "I'll never actually be able to repay you Draco. If you need this, I will do it. Even if it goes against my better judgment. But only because I care about you, the both of you."

* * *

**Ginny Weasley's Flat**

It was Sunday at the infamous 'formerly Potter now just Weasley and crew' flat. Ron, Harry, Lily and Ginny were watching the telly after playing and observing a very disappointing game of, (as James called it) 'old people chasing each other on brooms.' Also known as the bi-monthly Ministry Quidditch game. Ron was organizer and captain of the MLE team, Harry was seeker. Malfoy had actually taken up the post of Beater on the opposite team that day, which told Harry he must have had some aggression to work out. Being sweaty and far too tired Harry and Ron decided to impose on Ginny and hang out until Lily went to bed.

Then of course Lily went to bed and they continued to sit around and eat her food and argue about Quidditch. To say that Ginny was annoyed would not encapsulate the myriad of emotions she was feeling but basically, she was exhausted and wanted the two sweaty monsters out of her house.

As she was about to yell at them for overstaying their welcome she heard a familiar sound and panicked. She ran up the stairs hoping that the noise wouldn't alert anyone else. She frantically searched her dresser and nightstand looking for the offending device. On the floor by her closet she found it. She picked up the cell phone and answered it quietly, "Not the best time love."

In the hallway outside Ginny's room Lily had emerged and peeked into the doorway. Ginny was facing the closet and didn't see her as she sneaked down the stairs. Ginny was engrossed in conversation and giggling as Lily tiptoed up to her father on the couch downstairs. Lily placed her hand on Harry's knee and Harry jumped, "Lily, sweetheart, why are you up? Bad dream?" He pulled her onto his lap and she snuggled in saying, "Mummy's got her phone buzzing and beeping, it woke me up." Harry gave her a puzzled look, he really shouldn't pry, he sets Lily down and leads her up the stairs whispering, "Just try to block it out and think of your marshmallow fields and candy cane slides ok?" Lily laughed at her silly Dad and went back up to bed.

Harry watched her go up the stairs and then turned to find Ron standing next to him. He was gazing up the stairs quizzically, "I wonder why Gin has a phone?" Harry pulled his friend back into the living room, "It's none of our business."

"But who would she know with a phone? Wait a minute…"

Harry didn't like where this was going, "Ron. You need to leave it. Ok? Ron?" Ron was thinking, and he knew that was bad news.

"You know who deals with muggles all the time and is currently on the market?"

Harry didn't like where this was going. He shut it down, "Stop Ron. You are jumping to conclusions."

Ron shakes his head, "Harry, she's been seeing someone. Someone she doesn't want either of us to know about. How long of a list do you think that is?"

Harry grabs his coat and heads for the door. "Frankly Ron," he says as he opens the door to leave, "I don't care who it is." Before Ron could protest Harry had shut the door behind him.

* * *

Monday morning and Tracey's head is pounding. Thankfully Hermione is late this morning, so Tracey has time to meditate and try to physically absorb every drop of coffee in her cup. Her office is a little disheveled since she's spent the last two days in an impromptu therapy intensive at the Malfoy residence. Jules was back at school and Draco, was Draco.

Hermione entered the office in a brown coated flurry. She flung her belongs at the couch and plopped down. So, not a good Monday for anyone Tracey notes.

Hermione huffs and says, "I've been very happy with our progress so far." Tracey looks around the room, "That's usually my line Miss Granger." Hermione lets out a light breeze of laughter, "Yes well, we have, haven't we? Made good progress? What I want to talk about today is personal." Tracey stares, that distant yet piercing stare. No emotions.

Hermione tries to start again, "I mean to say I wish to talk about your personal life. Not mine."

Tracey nods, "Why do you want to talk about my personal life?"

She struggles to find the right wording, "It might be prudent… Or, rather, it might help, more than one party… Err… I am curious about the circumstances surrounding you and.. oh Merlin. Tracey, what is your relationship with," Tracey's breath catches in her chest, she really can't talk about Harry with his best friend of all people, Hermione continues, "Mister Malfoy."

Tracey raises a brow, "Oh. That. That, well. Is complicated I suppose? Or," Hermione holds her breath, "Why are you asking me this?"

Hermione looks put out, "Draco has been pursuing me and nothing I say is stopping him. He's relentless."

Tracey tries to keep from smiling, "I see." She jots down some notes. "How do you feel about his persistence?"

Hermione ticks off a list in the air, "Disgusted, horrified, uncomfortable and icky."

"That's not good." Tracey notes down her list. "Have you expressed this to Mr. Malfoy?"

"Not in so many words. I have been quite firm in my numerous negative responses to his advances though."

"Hermione are you seeing someone right now?"

She guffaws at this, "Absolutely not! I'm tending to my friendships and my, well, my family. I consider Ginny, Harry and Ron my family. I'm spending more time with them than I have in ages and it's been really good for me. Especially Ginny, we talk every night just about for hours. She's been amazing. I'm lucky to have her, to have them all in my life. I can honestly say I'm hopeful for the first time in years. I can't pinpoint why exactly but I'm feeling lighter and… Well therapy has been doing wonders for me obviously."

"We've only had two sessions. I think this has more to do with you working on really improving your social life. You've done all this good work Hermione. You deserve all the credit. And it's good to see you happier, your mood has been improving correct?"

She thought on that, "Well," Hermione paused, "I have been sleeping better. I'm not working as much. I'm doing physical therapy. I think my anxiety is the last thing I need to tackle. I get these…" She struggles with the words, "these episodes, where I feel really dizzy."

Tracey looks at her with concern, "What's happening when you feel this?"

"_Honestly? It's usually when I'm with Harry."_

"Does Harry make you anxious for some reason? Try to think about where your thoughts are when you're around him. What path do they take?"

"I'm trying." Hermione closes her eyes, "I'm usually thinking about him and Ginny. How sad he was, and how sad she was. I feel…"

Tracey can see some sort of recognition in Hermione's eyes. It was fleeting, and she shook her head vigorously to get rid of it.

"I'm sorry, I think I need to know about you and Draco. And Harry for that matter. I don't want to talk about myself anymore." Hermione laid down on the couch and closed her eyes.

"Are you feeling dizzy right now?"

"_Yes."_

"What are you thinking? Are you catastrophizing?"

"Yes, most likely, I don't know." Hermione's arm falls over her eyes, shielding her from Tracey's thoughtful gaze.

Something starts to click for Tracey. She can't push her in that direction yet. She needs a way to get her to open up.

"Hermione, can you promise not to tell Harry whatever it is I tell you in this room today?"

She moved her arm off her face to look at her therapist, "Yes. I can promise you nothing will leave this office."

Tracey sighed and took off her glasses, a very Harry like move Hermione thought. Tracey begins, "Draco saved my life and helped me escape Britain."

Her choice of words was damning, Hermione thought. Escaped, instead of fled, very interesting. "What happened? Tracey, what did Draco do?"

* * *

**Tracey's family house – Summer 2000**

_Crawling out of her room was a slow and steady death march, torture was every breath she struggled to take. Blood followed her, the stench of the most wretched humanity clung to her as she sprawled on the wood floor leaving a trail behind her. The house was empty of furniture and completely cleaned out except for her bedroom from which she was crawling away. People would be here soon she thought. They would help her. Unless they weren't coming? Did he set this all up? Was he the buyer?_

_Keeping as calm as possible she gathered herself to a crawling posture on all fours and very steadily headed to the fireplace. Who would she call? Harry? He would get in trouble if he went after her assailant. He would never look at her the same if he found out. She couldn't bring him any more pain. There was only one person to call._

_Draco arrived with a healer in tow, someone discreet he promised, "Tracey, we need to take you into your room" Tracey slung herself away with all her might, "No, no burn it. Burn it." Draco shook his head, "We can't, they'll know something is wrong, we…" Tracey grabs his arm, "Draco, burn everything in that room."_

_After Tracey had been tended to, a broken rib being her worst physical injury, she leaned against the house in the backyard watching everything she owned, and all her childhood, go up in smoke. She had one more favor to ask of Draco and then she hoped to never see him or anyone from Hogwarts or her past ever again._

"_Draco, I need to get out of Britain. I'll go anywhere but I have to leave."_

_He nodded in acknowledgment, "Do you want me to take care of him? Then you could stay at the Manor with mother until you, you got back on your feet?"_

_Tracey couldn't believe he would offer such a thing. He was newly married, and starting a beautiful life, she didn't want to drag him into this darkness. "No. No. Just help me get away and then I'll never ask you for anything ever again. Please," the tears could not be contained. She begged him, "Please Draco." His answer was soft, uncharacteristically so, "I have a contact in America. They work at the ministry there in New York. You'll stay there for a time, and then you will come back. Do you understand? You will come back, and he will pay. One way or another."_

_Draco held her very gently as she cried, "Harry, Harry mustn't know. He can't follow me."_

_He replied calmly, "That won't be a problem. We'll figure it out."_

_Tracey let one small sob escape as she said, "Thank you. I'll never forget this Draco, I owe you my life."_

**A/N: A little shorter than normal but I thought it was a good place to stop. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: I'm trying to edit this myself by working far ahead of the chapters I post and then going back to early chapters and reading them over before posting, so if you see things like tense errors, or other grammar errors I apologize. This is my longest chapter yet. It also might be my most "script" like chapter and it's hard for me to figure out how to make it more novel-y. I think in terms of scenes and I really wanted this story to be told sort of like a dark HP inspired "Love Actually." That's why the scenes jump around and are so short. I hope this makes sense and thank you soooooo much for reading!

* * *

Chapter 7:

Another week gone, and Harry was grateful to be headed out on a mission again. Well, it was a very small mission but still. He'd get to go to his very favorite place, Hogwarts, and deliver some very sensitive documents to the new Headmistress. He was most looking forward to seeing James who had not been coming home on weekends.

* * *

Tracey's ministry office was coming along splendidly! She finally had some real prospects for her new counseling team. The Ministry had steered her department toward the school counseling aspect as opposed to her passion project of working with veterans. She supposed it would be good groundwork for her team. All she needed to do was convince Hogwarts' new headmistress.

* * *

**Hogwarts – a very Autumn Friday**

Standing in the Headmistresses office, and just being back at Hogwarts altogether had Tracey in a very nostalgic frame of mind. She wanted to explore the castle and see all the new students in their classes. She wanted to breathe in the library again and sneak a peek at her old dormitory. Had it changed that much? From what little she'd seen today it appeared to be just the same, just like home.

The Headmistress was so lovely and very open to the ideas Tracey had brought to her. A successful Friday meeting and now all she needed to do was go see Arianna and then they'd head home together. As she exits the office she runs into Harry forsaken Potter. Of course, he's here and looking like a man on a mission. He knocks her completely off her feet. Harry grabs her arm to help her up, "I'm so sorry," he sees she's laughing, and he starts laughing too.

"Well Harry, I didn't see you there. I'm so sorry."

Harry rubs his hair to mess it up even more, "I've got to get these papers into that office. But when I come back out will you still be here?"

Tracey acquiesced, "Yes, I'll wait for you." So, she waited and thought for the millionth time that things should not ever be this awkward between them. Everything had always been so easy before. Why was that? What was it about how it was then and how it is now? She was the problem, she decided. She needed to make a true amends. To lay everything bare. It was time.

Just then Harry emerged from the portrait hole and he took her arm to walk the halls. He started talking, "I wonder if you'd like to walk around the castle with me and just talk? Maybe we could start over."

Tracey beamed at this, she was more than willing, "OK. Let's start again."

Harry replied a little shocked at how quickly she accepted, "Really? You mean it? Thank you, Tracey. Thank you."

"_Should I re-introduce myself?"_

"That might be a little too far back."

They laughed and walked the grounds talking like old times. The sun was beginning to set and they both needed to collect their kids for the weekend. The company was too good to part with.

Harry reminisces, "Do you remember when Hermione had to kiss Ron under the mistletoe and she looked like she was kissing a dung bomb?" Tracey laughed at the memory, "They didn't really date, did they?" Harry gives her the wide eyes, "Yes they did. You know they did. It was so awkward for me. I'm grateful it was a mutual breakup. Merlin, I never wanted to have to choose between them."

Tracey moved her hand out of Harry's and sat up straighter on the grass, "Harry, what did your friends think of us back then? Did they know how serious we were?"

"_I thought we were only going to talk about light hearted memories. No going back, remember?"_

"I never really hung out with all of you. I mean I was around sometimes, but our friends weren't friends with each other. Don't you think that odd?"

"_I never thought about it like that. I mean, Slytherin's wouldn't be caught dead in the Gryffindor common room even after the war."_

"Yes, but I was a Slytherin in the Gryffindor common room."

"_Yeah but you were like an honorary Gryffindor, on account of boffing the Prince of Gryff." _Tracey gave him a playful shove_. "Really Tracey, Hermione and Ron like you a lot. It was never a problem for them."_

"That is most definitely a lie Sir Potter. They barely knew me or talked to me at all in school. Then afterwards we all went our separate ways. We spent that whole summer tucked away if I recall."

"_No! I swear it's really not a lie! You were one of us as far as they were concerned, I mean, they may not have known you the way I do, but they knew I cared about you."_

This made Tracey second guess her recollection. She seemed to remember a cold shoulder from 'the brightest witch of their age' and indifference from the redheaded side-kick. "Maybe I misread them back then due to my own insecurities." Harry felt a pang of regret at her words. Had he not made her feel welcome in his life? Maybe he pushed her away without realizing it. "Maybe you misread them. Maybe I misread them. Maybe we were all so young and messed up we didn't have time for anyone else except ourselves."

Tracey had forgotten how insightful and hardened he could be. He would have been an excellent Slytherin. "Well now we have time," Tracey leaned in and let her eyes linger on his lips. She wanted to make the first move but her whole body seemed to have shut down just right at the edge of him. He hesitated to look into her face for some kind of clue, or maybe, a warning. She pushed her heart past the point of bursting and leaned in ever so slightly to lightly brush his lips with hers. Her heart was truly thrumming, or maybe that was his and hers combined making that rushing sound in her skull. This kiss was sweet and soft and kind, with a tender passion unmatched by any other man in her life. It emptied them both of breath. They pulled away slowly, blinking.

Harry decided to end the day on a high note, "well we should get back up to the castle. Can we get together sometime in London?" Tracey makes her thinking face, "Well we could always just come back here. It is one of my favorite places." Harry concurred, staring at the castle in twilight he helped pull Tracey off the grass. They stood looking at the view for a few moments and headed off into the night.

* * *

**Malfoy Manor - Saturday**

Despite all the horribleness that transpired at school the previous few weeks, Arianna was looking forward to going to Malfoy Manor and hanging out with Jules. They never had time even to talk really at school. He never aimed his pranking and insults at her but at Gryffindor in general and James Potter specifically. She supposed he was trying to fit in at Slytherin House and maybe if they talked they could get back to being friends like they had always been. She hadn't made any friends in Gryffindor. She didn't dislike them necessarily she just wasn't interested in getting to know anyone. She focused on classes and practicing her skateboard whenever she could. The other young witches and wizards were thoroughly unimpressed with her skateboarding around the grounds. It didn't matter, she brought her skateboard today to Malfoy Manor to do some tricks with Jules, he would appreciate it, she was sure.

The Manor was, well, imposing. Grand. Ostentatious. Also, dark. It was very dark on the outside. Much brighter and airy on the inside though. Narcissa was a master interior designer. She was in high demand recently due to a big spread in Witch Weekly about her latest Orphan Charity shindig. Tracey was hoping to talk to her about organizing something for Veterans health issues and funding for mental health services. Although maybe she should approach her about it separate from a family and friends' weekend.

When they arrived at the Manor they were greeted by Narcissa with hugs and cheek pecks. "So glad to see you girls. My, my Arianna you are breathtaking and so tall. You must model something for me," Narcissa was gushing over the lanky pre-teen. Arianna took it in stride, "Thank you, you're very kind Narcissa, to say so. I don't know what I'd model for you though." Narcissa laughed and walked them into the main living area, "Anything, Arianna, sweet child. Jules is in his room do you remember how to get there?" Ari nodded and walked off, skateboard in hand.

Tracey sat on one of the brand new very white sofas. "Narcissa this room is transformed. It looks amazing."

Narcissa replied with drinks in hand, "Oh, it's coming along I suppose. There is so much to tackle with this old place. I'm not young enough to keep up with everything."

Draco entered then, his nose thrust into the Daily Prophet as he circled around the couch a few times, then distractedly sat down next to Tracey. "Hello?" Tracey moves the paper down a smidge and Draco replies, "Hmm. Mmm" Narcissa clicks her tongue, "Draco, put the paper down. We have company. Do not be rude."

* * *

Down the hall Arianna was approaching the room she thought was Julien's when she had the brilliant idea to just skate right down the hall. She placed the skateboard down and started to push off, she turned a corner and aimed right for Jules room. When she skated in she gave him a startle. "Merlin forsaken! What is wrong with you! What is that thing?!" Arianna kicked up her board, "It's my skateboard. I thought we could take turns during ollie's or pushing things down the stairs on the back of it. I don't know." Jules looked angry. Not just upset or startled as Ari had previously thought.

"Well whatever it is get it out of my room." Jules pointed to the door

Ari ignored him, "Do you want to go explore the grounds? Are there any new weird plants in the garden?"

"I don't know. Go ask Gran." Jules sat down at his desk trying to ignore her.

Ari sat down on his bed not taking any of his hints. She rolled her skateboard out his door with her foot. She then proceeded to stare around his room.

Jules could feel Ari's eyes exploring his room and it irritated him more than anything ever had in his short life. "What are you still doing here?'

"We came to visit." Ari tried to sound strong.

"Yes. Well. You've visited. Now leave." Jules tried not to sound hurt.

"What are you mad about?" Arianna tried to see his expression, but he was facing away from her, his back a wall to her.

"I'm upset that you're still in my room when I've asked you to leave many times." His voice was stern but not loud.

Arianna gets up off the bed, "so we're not friends anymore?"

"Does it need to be said?" Jules refused to look at her, "Merlin take a hint. You're a Gryffindor. We can't ever be friends again."

Arianna could feel tears starting to form. She decided on anger instead of grief just then, "You're an idiot Julien Malfoy. You think I care about that stupid school? You know how I feel about it, about all of those people. Whatever. Your wish is granted. I'm gone."

Arianna was out the door in a flash and skated down the hall in moments. Julien didn't even have time to turn around, the words dying on his tongue as he whispered, "I'm sorry."

Tracey and Draco were laughing while Narcissa was instructing the staff. Arianna walked in on the scene and felt very out of place. Her mother so clearly fit into this world. She would never be like her, not because she couldn't but because she didn't want it. Arianna stayed on the fringes of the scene trying to decide what to do when she was spotted by Draco. "Ari! Darling! Are you and Jules headed out to the garden? We have some new snapping something or other out there so mind your fingers." Arianna stood still, moving only her head in a stiff nod. "Are you alright Ari?" Tracey asked, moving across the room toward her daughter. Draco jumped in front of Tracey, "What did he do? Did he say something to you darling?" Arianna tried to do the stiff upper lip thing that Mr. Malfoy was always talking about, but it wasn't working, "I think maybe we should go, Mom." Draco was off in a flash, "JULIEN. GET OUT HERE."

Tracey grabbed her daughter's hand. Narcissa was on the other side looking down the hall at Draco screaming, she took off after him. Tracey whispered to Ari, "Do you really want to leave? We can floo out, it's not a problem." Arianna gave her mother the most pitiful doe eyes she had ever seen. Tracey nodded in understanding and took Arianna to the fireplace, "You go ahead to the house and I'll be right there in a minute." With that Ari had gone.

Tracey waited for Draco to come back but she got Narcissa instead. The graceful woman took both of her hands, "Draco would like to come by your office Monday morning; is that alright?" Tracey replied, "Yes, after 10 on Monday is fine." Narcissa walked her to the fireplace, "I'll let him know." Tracey made her apologies and left.

* * *

**The Davis' Residence – London **

Arianna was in the kitchen when Tracey stepped out of the fireplace. She was sitting on her skateboard in front of the fridge just staring at the contents. Tracey stepped up behind her and put her hand on the fridge, "You know you're wasting electricity?" Arianna just stares. What could have happened? Tracey started to doubt every decision she's made up to this point. Overthinking the choice to send Ari to Hogwarts. It was what Tracey had always dreamed of when she was a girl. Was it really that different for Ari? This seemed like more than just pre-teen mood swings.

"Ari, can you talk to me please?" Tracey tried to pull Arianna up. Arianna grabbed an apple and some green smoothie nonsense and stalked off to her room, pushing her skateboard half-heartedly down with her. "I'll take that as a 'No' then." Tracey decided to do some work.

A few hours later Draco Malfoy steps through her fireplace. Tracey was covered in ink stains and surrounded by ministry busy work at her haphazard office area in the living room. Draco, who normally would have thrown a fit at a home in such disarray didn't bat an eyelash. He plopped down on the sofa, Tracey spun her chair around to face him.

"Tweens are the absolute worst." Draco Malfoy said. Tracey's jaw dropped at his use of the word 'tweens.' She recovered pretty quickly, "Draco, I think the muggles are rubbing off on you." Draco barely lifted his eyebrow in mock annoyance, "Trace, was I this out of control and moody back then?" Tracey laughed outright at that, "Yes. You really were the worst." Draco laughed with her.

They chatted for a little while and mainly Tracey just let him vent. "I mean," he continued his current rant, "my father was horrid, mother was, well, she did what she could. Am I really a horrible tyrant like him? I often think it's harder for fathers than it is for mothers." Tracey took offense, "Maybe it's just hard for single parents in general whether they be mothers of fathers. At least you can take him to his mothers. At least he likes wizarding school!"

Draco sucked in his lower lip, "I hadn't considered that you're really doing it all alone. I'm sorry if what I said offended you."

"Thank you but you would have to do or say more than that to offend me."

"Yes, I believe I'm aware of that. Regardless," Draco thought for a moment. Was he going to go there? It felt like now was the time. "Tracey is Potter Arianna's father?"

Tracey was still and contemplative for a long time. To his credit Draco did not push and did not break his appraising stare of her reactions. Tracey tilted her head, "I don't know for sure if it was him, or if it's Harry. But, I think," she swallowed hard, "I think it is Harry. I can't believe I'm saying this out loud, but I think I've always thought deep down. She's too good to be the others. She's just too beautiful and too good."

Draco considered this, "You know it doesn't matter. I mean, if she's the others, it wouldn't matter to Potter. He wouldn't care. He's delusional over you, I mean it. It's disgusting quite frankly that way he stares at you. It gives everyone within a kilometer vicinity a stomach ache."

Tracey struggles to get the words out, "I've messed it all up though. Draco, I'm turning this back around to you." Draco leaned forward as if he wasn't going to like this she continued, "as your very good friend who loves you like a very annoying younger brother," Draco laughed, and Tracey kept on, "you have to stop going after Hermione. She's really not that into you as the kids say."

He falls back against the sofa, "Yes," he sighs, "I know. I know. I know."

Tracey gives him a skeptical look and Draco stares at her, "Hermione seems like a logical choice. We could do business deals over breakfast and talk politics and argue and have make-up sex. It would be easy, shockingly easy, actually when I think on it."

"It's not right though. For her." Tracey says.

Draco replies, "Yes I had gathered that. Wait, do you talk to her? Regularly?"

Tracey reigned in her emotions and answered blankly, "I talk to her occasionally. Not friends really, but…"

"We're beyond all hope as far as I can tell Trace." Draco said.

"At least we're excellent parents." Tracey said.

At this they both laughed.

As soon as the fire goes out, after Draco's departure, Tracey hears a loud slam. She turns around to see Arianna fuming. She had thrown Tracey's old yearbook down near the fireplace. It was time for another temper tantrum it seems.

"You lied."

"What did I lie about exactly? And please lower your voice and watch your tone with me."

Arianna paced back and forth like a caged animal, "You lied. About EVERYTHING. Harry Potter is my father. And You're A Liar." She picks up the book just to slam it down again.

"I've told you many times, I don't know for sure who your father is. I hoped we could talk about this next week with-"

Arianna interrupted her, "NO. NO. NO. No more lies. STOP lying. You don't know who he is? But you DO KNOW."

"Ari, it's not that simple…"

"IT IS that simple. They have DNA tests. We go. We get one. The end. SIMPLE."

"You want a DNA test?"

"YES."

Tracey really couldn't believe it. She had considered it of course, but if it wasn't Harry, then Ari would want to know. She would want to know the whole story. "Can you please sit with me?" Ari breathed in deep with the intent to start yelling again when Tracey lifted her arms, "I won't yell, I won't lecture. I want to tell you everything. Please sit with me and hear me out? It's all I'm asking."

Arianna considered running away and hiding. She didn't though. She moved slowly to the couch and sat down with her Mom. The scowl would stay firmly in place the whole time though of that you can be sure.

* * *

**The Burrow - Sunday**

It was a beautiful day for quidditch and getting to play with James and the Weasley clan on such a fine fall day was simply heaven. Harry laid in the grass after running himself into the ground. Actually, more like collided with the ground but it was all the same. His breathing had started to come back to normal. James hovered over him shaking his head after seeing that his Dad was smiling.

All in all, everything was the same at the Burrow. No one treated him any differently. Even Ginny was being very warm towards him. It was all very strange but very right too. James seemed very happy to be back at the Burrow. That morning he was being quite rude to his little sister for no reason and talking back to his father at every opportunity. As always with James though it seemed, as soon as he got outside and active he was his usual jovial self. The boy really was like a golden retriever or some very over active dog breed, he needed to be run frequently.

Everyone headed into the house. Harry walked behind his son and threw an arm out to him, "Hey, you haven't told me about school? How is it?"

James slowed down and walked in step with his Dad, "It's ok. I don't know Dad."

Harry didn't want to prod him, but his curiosity was killing him, "What do you think of it?"

James flopped his head back and forth in a balancing the scales sort of way, "It's boring most of the time. We don't get to play quidditch. We can't even have brooms outside flying class!"

Harry laughed at that, "You'll have plenty of time to play quidditch. How are your classes going? That's what you're really there for you know?"

"Classes?" James seemed aggravated by the topic, "Classes are classes. You know how they are."

Harry let it go after that. Maybe he could get more out of him over the holiday break in a few weeks. James really was so different from Harry at his age, Harry was fighting trolls and exploring the castle with such reverence and awe. A little bit of mischief too, couldn't neglect that. James seemed more interested in sports, which wasn't bad, just different.

James stopped in front of his Dad as if just remembering something, "Dad, you were a Muggle once." Harry looked confused and a little scared as to where this was going, "Well I was raised by Muggles if that's what you mean."

James shook his head, "Right, same thing, anyway… Do you know what this thing is that has four wheels on it? You push it around with your feet?" Harry tilted his head trying to imagine a car you push, or maybe he meant a bike? No that didn't have four wheels. "You mean a skateboard?" Harry concluded.

James slapped him on the back, "YES! That's it. I want one of them. Can you get it for me?"

"I'd have to ask your Mum if she…" Harry was cut off. James interrupted, "SHH. No. Dad are you mental? Mum would never let me have one! Please Dad! This girl has one at school so it's not against the rules."

"Well, I don't see why not." Harry smiled. James hugged him, "Thanks. You're the best."

* * *

**Ministry of Magic - Friday**

Another week gone by at the Ministry and Tracey was finally starting to see her team progress. They had taken on some group sessions at Hogwarts, the head of the MLE was sending potential case studies her way for Veterans with PTSD, and her usually overflowing with bureaucracy laden desk was clean and tidy. Now she was starting to think about calling the university to start teaching again. Running a brand-new team of counselors at the ministry, having a private practice and trying to start a new study was clearly not enough work for her.

Why did she bury herself in work so much? To run away, clearly. She's introspective enough to know that she has always been a runner. She ran from her parent's death to Hogwarts and Harry, she ran from her assault and Harry to America, she even ran when she was in America from one place to another. Maybe she should follow in Hermione's footsteps and just start physically running? It wasn't a bad idea actually. She would have to ask Hermione about that.

_Knock knock_

Tracey waved her hand in a motion to come in. Harry Potter walks in the door like he's been there a million times. This was technically his first visit. Tracey pulled her glasses off of her head in an attempt to not seem so disheveled. Harry looked like a mess, he was dirty and had smudges all over his face and was his robe torn?

"_Hi."_

"Hi"

"_I just got back from, well, I guess a mission. It was more like a rat-infested den of horrors."_

"I'm sure that's supposed to be funny..."

"_But it's not. Yeah. But it sort of is..."_

"So, what can I do for you Harry?"

"_Come to dinner with me tonight."_

"Uhh. I don't know."

"_Well,"_ he placed a single impossibly long gladiola on her desk, _"I think you'll have a great time. Possibly, a great meal. The company, clearly spectacular…"_

"Are you trying to be suave Sir Potter?"

"_Depends. Is it charming your knickers off?"_

Tracey laughed, "Quite possibly."

Sometime later they find themselves in a magical garden where there's a viewing of a rare nocturnal plant. It's an invite only event as the purveyor of these gardens is very elusive as she likes to keep her gnarwalts and nytubbers all to herself. Luna really had outdone herself. The whole garden was bathed in an ethereal light emanating from everywhere and nowhere. Rows of carefully trimmed hedges led into a secret door that seemed to go underground, but once you stepped through you felt as though the trees were high above you and the flowers were underneath you. It was magic at its most beautiful and most mysterious and so very, very Luna.

Stepping into this secret world a crowd had gathered in a little circle near a podium. Behind the podium was what can only be described as a giant purple seed pod. It was like a boulder suspended in a fine silvery mesh. The mesh seemed to be fluttering in the breeze, it was both heavy and light. Harry and Tracey both were amazed by it all. They were children at a magic show in that moment.

Tracey was on Harry's arm as they made their way around greeting all those they knew. Narcissa Malfoy approached on Tracey's side and leaned in close to her, "I don't mean to barge in but I had to say Hello Tracey. It's so good to see you." Tracey was surprised but happy to see her, "Narcissa! I should have known you'd be here. It's lovely isn't it?" Narcissa leans over to glance at Potter, "Yes. Hello Mr. Potter." Harry gave a nod and continued talking to Luna. "Tracey," Narcissa leans even closer to her keeping away from Harry, "are you need of a rescue?" Tracey laughed lightly, "No," she looked at Harry who smiled at her, Tracey gave Narcissa a one-armed squeeze, "but if I change my mind I'll let you know" Narcissa winked at her and wandered off.

"What did she want?" Harry pulled Tracey over to the back of the crowd, he lifted away some willowy branches covered in white flowers to reveal a hidden bench. When the willow branches fell they were alone, and it was completely quiet and dark save for the twinkling firefly lights.

"Who Narcissa?" Tracey asked. Harry waited. "She's like a mother to me Harry. I owe the Malfoy's a lot."

Harry harrumphed at this, "It might be dangerous to owe them anything."

"Not as dangerous as some." Tracey retorted.

"That may be true. Are they the ones who…" Harry started to ask but he faltered, "who, helped you when you left?"

Tracey didn't want to lie to Harry. This was going to be like pulling a knife out of her own heart. She steeled her resolve and turned to Harry, "They did help me escape. Draco found me a place to live in New York. I didn't stay there long. I wanted to go to University in Boston. I didn't know I was pregnant at the time otherwise I might not have..."

"Wait," Harry interrupted, "you didn't know? When you left you didn't know you were pregnant?"

Tracey looked away from him and swallowed hard, "I didn't know. I didn't plan to leave. It just happened. I felt like I had to leave."

Harry was trying not to clench his fists; his jaw was clicking making his head hurt. He pushed his anger away, he looked at Tracey, really looked at her. She was scared to tell him this. He couldn't be angry at her when she was this frightened. "Please," Harry took both her hands in his and pulled her toward him, "don't be afraid. I'm here and I'm listening. I will not judge you or be angry. Merlin Tracey. I would do anything for you, don't you know? You can tell me anything."

The tears were coming now, and Tracey didn't wipe them away, she didn't dare move or breathe lest she loose what little courage she had left, "I was raped. The day I left your flat I went home, remember? He was waiting for me. I don't know how he did it. It was planned. I don't know everything, but I know that I left your flat, went to my family's house and a nightmare was waiting for me."

The feelings that Harry felt in those few silent seconds flashed from anger, rage, betrayal, hurt, pain, sadness, fear, more anger. He couldn't think straight. He knew it. Somewhere deep down he knew something had to have happened to her for her to leave him like that. But why didn't she… "Why didn't you come to me? I would have helped you."

Tracey made sure to sit up straight for this and look at him, "I know that. If I could go back Harry I would. I should have gone straight to you. I was beyond distraught I was out of my mind. The trauma it changed me and all I could think about was running away. The nightmares haunted me for years. The guilt pulled me down to the darkest places. I was so lost. You have no idea how truly broken I was. The idea of even being near you, of tainting you, you were perfect in my mind. I wanted you to be free and to be happy. I didn't think I could ever make you happy, the state I was in."

"We were so young back then and more than a little broken already, but I never wanted anything the way I wanted you. I mean, I wanted you to be happy too, so I understand that." Harry was having an epiphany, "I understand. I think somewhere deep down I must have known that you," Tracey fell into him at that moment, her arms went around him, and she collapsed against his heart. Harry petted her hair, "it's alright now. Everything's going to be alright."

Tracey took in wet gulps of air between sobs, "I don't know who Ari's father is."

He hadn't thought of that, but it made sense now why she stayed in America, she kept Arianna away to protect her. It was hard to hold it against her, he had made mistakes as well. Harry shushed her, "It doesn't matter, Tracey. It doesn't matter at all."

* * *

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! **


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Super short chapter so sorry!

Chapter 8:

**HOGWARTS March 1998, two months before the final battle**

_Theo Nott was terrorizing a group of second years who wandered too close to the hallway that lead to the Room of Requirement. He knew they were up to something. He didn't really care what they were doing only that they got out of his way. Theo knew that Draco and others had been coming here a lot last year and before Dumbledore died. It had something to do with you-know-who. Every time he entered the room though it was nothing but storage, piled high with junk._

_Theo was going home this weekend and his father would want names and information. For what, he didn't care or know. He only knew to keep on the old man's good side for just another year, then he would be free of him. He'd run as far and as fast as he could to escape all of them. The Malfoy's, Lestranges', Greengrass', don't forget the forsaken Nott's._

_When he opened the portrait hole to Slytherin's common room that night he was not expecting to see Draco 'murder-lite' Malfoy. "What are you doing here?" Nott said indignantly. Malfoy ignored him and grabbed a group of cronies to talk in whispers. Tracey Davis sat in the farthest right corner of the room staring at the group. _

_Theo snuck up on her, "Boo!" Tracey gasped but held her mouth closed, she whispered to him, "Theo you prat! I'm trying to hear what they're saying; be quiet." _

_He makes a rude gesture at her with his hand going back and forth. He rolls his eyes, "Baby death eaters having a meeting? Who bloody cares?"_

_Tracey looks at him sideways, "Something is brewing Theo. Something big. Can't you feel it?"_

_Well, she set that one up for him he had to walk through it, "You know what I can feel Trace?" He rubbed his hand down his chest and grabbed his groin, "I can feel this, do you want to feel it?" Tracey smacked him on the arm hard and Theo laughed._

_Draco dismissed his little circle and walked up to Theo and Tracey. He scanned them, "Best get to bed children."_

_Theo bowed at him low and deep, "Send my regards to the dark lord sir." Tracey tried to disappear into her seat. Draco didn't take the bait though, spinning on his heel he walked away without a word._

_Later that night Tracey had snuck out of her dorm and headed to the common room. She was trying to figure out the best place to put a little extendable ear, maybe to hook it around the room and then have the other end on the opposite side? As she was figuring out logistics, Draco Malfoy sneaks up behind her, he places his hand on her mouth, "Don't scream. It's only me." _

_Tracey breathes out a sigh, "Drake you scared the piss out of me." He waves her off, "What did Theo say to you?" Tracey looks confused, "He said nothing. He-" Draco makes a motion with his hands as if she should hurry it up. She continues, "He made some rude jerking off gesture and grabbed his dick ok? He's not exactly a conversationalist."_

_He mulls this over and sucks in his cheek, "Stay away from him. Tell Pansy and the other girls too. Don't be alone with him, ever. Got it?" Tracey nods and Draco walks down to the prefect dorms._

* * *

**Ginny Weasley's Flat – London**

Ginny and Hermione were on the phone again, and between the laughs they had genuine heartfelt moments. Lily was with Harry, so Ginny had the whole house to herself as she walked around on the phone.

"I mean Ron's face was scarlet. He really has it in for George this time. Did I tell you his new girlfriend was there?" Ginny recounted.

"_Who you mean George's? Or Ron's?" Hermione questioned._

"No. George is still with Angelina. Ron's new girlfriend was there at quidditch. She didn't even play!"

"_Ginny, not everyone likes quidditch." _

"I mean c'mon, how can he date someone who won't even get on a broom?"

"_Umm. He did date me you know. I've still never learned to fly."_

"Something which I will remedy as soon as you come over for a match. Next month work for you?"

"_Definitely not Gin. It will not happen in this or any other lifetime."_

"Just come to the burrow next month. Everyone wants to see you."

"_I hope you're not trying to get me to come 'round so you can marry me off to some Weasley man."_

Ginny laughed heartily, "Would it be so terrible to be a Weasley?"

"_I guess it would depend on the countenance of the Weasley we are discussing."_

"Well I'm the best looking one. Actually, I'm also the smartest one. Perhaps the bravest. Wow. You're right Hermione, I am the best Weasley. It's me you should date definitely."

"That," Hermione's heart was pounding suddenly, "That could work for me. You being the best Weasley, and my best friend puts you at the top of the list."

Ginny giggled, in a playful way, but something in Hermione's tone sounded serious, "are you serious?"

Hermione held her breath. Ginny broke through again, "Hermione. Don't say another word." She hung up the phone.

Hermione dropped her phone on the hardwood floor and grabbed her mouth in horror. What had she done? Why did she say that? Was Ginny furious or did she need a minute to gather herself? Why did she hang up? Her head was spinning, and she couldn't believe her rotten mouth. Why does she just blurt things out like that?

The floo suddenly sounded and Ginny came out tentatively. Hermione walked up to her quickly and started her verbal assault, "Ginny! I'm so sorry. Please understand I love you and..." Ginny took quick steps and grabbed Hermione's face, "Hermione! Shut. Up." Ginny kissed her like her whole body was on fire and Hermione was oxygen. She breathed in air and breathed out flame in an exchange of equal parts passion and tenderness. This kiss was like nothing Hermione had ever felt. Her head was buzzing, she couldn't feel her feet. Ginny was wild with her tongue but also so soft. Hermione didn't match her. Instead, she slowed her down and they entered a rhythm of give and take in total exploratory softness. It lasted for hours.

They came up for air to discover that they had somehow migrated to the couch. Neither could remember when that had happened. "I've never just kissed like that before, and for so long." Hermione was touching her own lips, they felt numb. "My lips are numb." Ginny said. Hermione laughed, "Yes. Mine as well." They held each other for a little while and then Ginny left. They didn't talk about what they were doing. They didn't analyze their feelings. Hermione didn't need too, and she supposed Ginny didn't need to either.

* * *

**BOSTON COLLEGE AREA – off campus housing daytime March 2001**

_The scratchy sheets were torn off the bed in haste as Tracey searched her body and bed for the source of so much blood. It looked like a lot, but she tried not to panic. Very carefully she walked out of her room and put the soiled linens in the washing machine. She carefully crept downstairs to the common bathroom and started to splash water on her face. When she came up for air she moved her lips back across her teeth to see in the mirror that her teeth and gums were covered in blood. She rinsed out her mouth and made her way to her room being as quiet as possible so as to not wake her roommates. She pulled on some pants and headed out the door. _

_The morning was bright, and the streets were still. It wouldn't last though; the bustle was coming, and Tracey wanted to get to the clinic as soon as possible to beat the crowd and hopefully make it to class that morning._

_Just as she started to jaywalk across the street she saw a familiar silhouette. He was leaned against the red brick laundromat as inconspicuous as you please with a muggle newspaper in front of his face. Tracey hesitated, should she walk past for a closer look? No. It couldn't be him and she had to get to the clinic. She turned away from him and headed down the street the opposite way and just as she got to the corner, "Tracey Davis, stop right there. Do you have a permit to wear such ghastly clothing in broad daylight? There are children out here Miss Davis." Theo was smiling a shit-eating grin as he moved in front of her, blocking her path with his large frame. He was much taller and more intimidating than she remembered. His gaze flashed across her mid-drift a hint of some emotion crossing over his eyes and then it was gone. _

"_Theo! So good to see you! What a funny coincidence. Why are you in Boston?" Tracey tried to sound casual, but she was fidgeting._

"_No time to chat love," Theo held out his wand and grabbed Tracey close, "we have to leave." They apparated away._

_They landed in a very dark motel room. It seemed as though it wasn't daytime here wherever they were. Tracey was feeling sick from the sudden apparition and she fell to her knees in dry heaves. Blood splattered her hands as she coughed into them. "THEO! NOTT!" Tracey screamed between coughs. _

_She crawled across the floor to the bed and found a pair of legs hanging off the end. Attached to those legs was one very puffy faced and anxious looking Pansy Parkinson. "Pans?" Tracey grabbed the girl's leg to get her attention, she looked down at Tracey and spoke softly, "Tracey Davis? Why are you..?" Pansy looked further at Tracey as she slumped against her. Pansy let a horrified gasp, "Oh MERLIN TRACE! NO!" Pansy looked horrified at her. _

_Theo approached Pansy very delicately he sat beside her and made soothing sounds while rubbing her back. Tracey looked around the room in slow moving confusion. A loud 'POP!' and Draco Malfoy appeared with a girl who looked far worse than her or Pansy. She was thrown onto the opposite bed by Draco who quickly moved Theo to the other side of the room. They talked in hushed voices. Tracey wanted to scream, but her curiosity and survival instincts were keeping her quiet. Maybe she could disappear under the bed and they wouldn't even notice her. _

_Draco crouched down to Tracey and gasped, "SHIT THEO! Why is she BLEEDING?" He turned and scowled at the man and then he let out an exasperated sigh, "C'mon Trace, let's get you cleaned up. Are you injured?" Tracey hesitantly took his hand and went into the bathroom. Draco ran the tap and pulled out a towel from the rack. Tracey sat on the edge of the tub scared and confused, "Draco? Where are we? What's going on?"_

_Draco approached her carefully sitting on the toilet opposite her in the cramped bathroom, "Theo didn't explain? Of course, he didn't. He's an asshole." Tracey started to shake. Draco carefully cleaned her face and then her trembling hands cleaning them carefully. He spoke calmly but with a hint of anger, "Stop shaking, Merlin forsaken Trace, you're safe here."_

"_Am I otherwise in danger?" Tracey's voice was cracking._

_Draco's gaze dropped down to her stomach, "How far along are you?" He reached for her stomach and she flinched away, "I'm in third trimester." Draco threw his head back and whispered to himself, "Too late then."_

_He stood up and leaned back against the sink. "Is there anyway, that this child could possibly be a result of that night?" Tracey nodded affirmatively. Draco continued, "We have to deliver the baby. As safely as possible and as soon as possible." Tracey looked horrified, but Draco kept talking, "Tracey, that night it wasn't just a random attack as you probably already surmised. There was blood magic, wasn't there?" Tracey wasn't sure, and she sort of shrugged at him. "As far as we know," Draco stared at the wall as he spoke, "you were the first. I didn't even know you were pregnant, or I would have come months ago. I'm getting ahead of myself." He sighed deeply, "Here's the abridged version: You were not the only one. He has attacked others. All around our age, all with families connected to the dark lord and all have fallen pregnant."_

_She held her mouth to keep the vomit in, and then the fear really gripped her. She started shaking uncontrollably. Draco kept talking, "Pansy we found a couple weeks ago, she came to me and told me everything. We took her to the muggle doctors for contraception and some procedure. She was sure he was going after the Bulgarian girl next, he was sloppy and left some clues pointing that way. I just found her, clearly, but... Theo was supposed to just watch out for you and report back. He saw the state you were in and just, acted without forethought. My apologies for that and for asking you to do something that I know goes against your nature. But," Tracey tried to interrupt him, Draco looked straight into her eyes, "Tracey! There is some sort of blood magic at play here and it may be doing something to you. It may be influencing you. Have you noticed anything strange about the pregnancy or yourself?"_

_Tracey tried to recall anything that might have been magically influenced, or out of place. Had her behavior been strange? Yes. She was a hormonal mess and then there was… "Blood. I was bleeding this morning. My gums and teeth, or possibly my lungs. I was on my way to the clinic in Boston." Draco nodded, "Let's take you to the muggle doctors." Tracey stopped him, "But if it's blood magic shouldn't I see a mediwitch?" Draco huffed, "St. Mungo's is compromised, and we don't want to draw any unwanted attention. The less you know the better, the safer you'll be."_

_When they exited the bathroom, Theo stood from the bed. Pansy was looking a little better and the Bulgarian girl was laying down. Theo got Tracey's attention, "I'm sorry if I scared you Trace. I was panicked when I saw you, your, you know? How you were." He seemed genuinely distraught and, guilty. Tracey gave him a hug, "Merlin," Theo whispered petting her head, "I'm so glad you're ok."_

* * *

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! **


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note: Sauce-ish-ness incoming. You're been warned.**_

* * *

Chapter 9:

**Dr. Davis Private Office - Monday**

The silence that filled the small therapy office was getting uncomfortable. It had been 40 minutes already and Hermione was still just fidgeting and whispering to herself. Whilst Tracey was making a list of chores to do in her head in-between thoughts of Harry tracing his fingers over her collarbone and down her neck, his kisses trailing behind the path which his hand was taking to her… "I have to just spit it out," Hermione blurted out. Tracey held her breath as Hermione groaned loudly. Bravery was absent at the moment. Perhaps Tracey should relay some more casual news? "Harry and I are dating again," Tracey said suddenly, "I mean, it's very new but, exciting." Hermione's jaw dropped, "Yes. New love is exciting. Although I suppose you two aren't really new right? More like, rediscovered or something."

The therapist smiled at her like a friend but kept the air silent and still. She was trying to draw Hermione out of whatever destructive thought spiral she was currently barreling down. Maybe word association would help? Or just talking about her hobbies?

"I'm gay," through gritted teeth Hermione squeaked out, finally.

Tracey sat still and said nothing for two beats then, "How are you feeling about this? Are you dating?"

"Yes," Hermione forcefully pushed her hair back, "and I'm feeling, very fine thank you."

Tracey smiled at her as she continued, "You will never be judged in here. Besides that, I think it's fantastic that you've found yourself and are putting yourself out there! It is exceptionally brave Hermione. You've come a long way since we started. Don't you think?"

Hermione smiled in turn and squealed like a little girl, "I'm happy. I can't even believe how happy I am. We only just started, I suppose were dating, I'm not even sure how she feels about me, I mean I _know_ how she feels, but we've not talked about it yet, and I don't even know what label to use for myself or for her, is she gay? Bi? Pan? Queer? Does it matter? What will my family think? What will her family think? Merlin forsaken! HER FAMILY."

Tracey clapped her hands, "Right. It's a lot to work out and we are out of time today. I think the thing to focus on is that you're happy, she's happy and I'm sure that your respective families will see that happiness and accept the relationship you're building. Do you have a reason to be concerned about your own family's reaction to you coming out?"

Hermione considered this, her mother and father were still going strong, still working hard and she couldn't imagine they would be anything but accepting, "it's really her family I'm worried about."

At this Tracey held up a finger, "I think I have a book that will help you." She walked to her bookcase and pulled out a copy of 'Empress of the World' explaining, "It's an American novel I read at university. I think you'll like it." Hermione is grateful for the study material. "Tracey, I think you and Harry being together is really great. He's a wonderful father you know, it would be good for him to know Arianna. I don't presume to know all the details, but he has a right, doesn't he?"

Standing by the door to the office Tracey opens it addressing Hermione, "Well, Harry and I will figure it out."

* * *

**Ministry of Magic – Malfoy's Office - Monday**

Every single thing in Draco's life was an annoyance. His career has just recently been added to the growing list: Ex-wife check, Troubled pre-teen kid check, love life down the shitter, friends almost completely fucked. Really, what did he have to look forward to anymore? Quidditch was still fun. They haven't had a ministry game in a few months maybe he would organize an indoor winter match? As soon as he had the idea he burned it to the ground in his mind. It would never do.

As he sat having a momentary pity party of one, Ron Weasley knocked on his open office door. Great. Superb. Never a better time for the most annoying git in the entire… "Yes Weasley?"

Ron walked in and sat down cool as, well, he was trying to be cool and collected and the effort looked as if it would make him overheat. Ron cleared his throat, "Ahem. Yes. Malfoy. I have some, well, it's sort of," Malfoy stares, his head drawn down, "any time Weasley, I'm clearly not going anywhere, nor do I have other things to attend to." Ron purses his lips, "Really? I'm not intruding, am I? Geeze Malfoy. I'm trying to say, I have come across some sensitive information from Bulgaria and it involves you and a Mr. Nott apparently? Do you know anything about this?"

Draco Malfoy keeps it casual, he leans back, "I might know something of Bulgaria, seeing as I'm an _international_ lawyer and my duties within the Ministry require traveling _internationally_."

Ron reaches into a pocket and opens a small tin. He then pops a mint into his mouth shaking his head, "No. No. Not that. Well, not then anyway. You weren't working anywhere then. They want little Nott for questioning you see, and your name came up," Draco sat up straight, "Does Potter know about this?" Ron responds, "He's my team leader. Of course, he bloody knows. He doesn't know I'm here though." Ron actually winked after that. As if he were doing Malfoy a favor right now. Well, Draco supposed, he might be doing him a favor. It had to be the girl, what was her name again? "Anna Ivanova, well, it's really her father whose making some claim of kidnapping and torture. It's brutal what he's saying Malfoy. The statute of limitations is well past on some of the charges, but he might be looking for a settlement from you and Nott."

"If the family wanted money why not just come straight to the source?" Draco puzzled this over, ignoring Weasley, "Unless it's not money they want. They want to hurt me and Nott. I can't believe Anna is involved though didn't she just get married recently?"

"Are you saying," Ron picked up the threads, "that you know the victim and you are aware of this situation she's speaking of? Are you admitting to this? I am an auror you know? I should arrest you right now!"

Draco rolled his eyes, "Calm yourself Weasley. Anna and I are acquaintances from another lifetime. I didn't, - don't look at me like I'm the son of Satan, Weasley." Ron scowled but tried to stay level headed as Draco continued, "things are not black and white. Has that escaped your notice all these years? I know you're dating Pansy, so you can drop that whole 'us vs. them' loyalty crap. We are too old and have seen too much for that nonsense."

"How did you know I was dating Pansy?" Ron looked confused. Draco moved from behind the desk to shut his office door, "Pansy and I, hell, almost everyone from Slytherin from before the war, we're a family, Weasley. We've been through it all together and we keep close. You understand all about keeping family close don't you?" Ron nodded solemnly, "Yes I do. What would happen if I asked Pansy about this?" He thought for a long moment and Ron looked nervous as Draco spoke, "I think that it would be completely up to her what she told you and you can tell her I said as much."

Ron got up to leave, but he pointed at Malfoy on his way out, "Do I have to tell you not to leave the country?" Draco sighed, and Ron shut the door behind him.

Theo, Theo, Theo Nott, where oh where could he be? Anna, why did you turn on us? What could have upset you so? Draco pondered his newest puzzle. He did love a challenge.

* * *

**HOGWARTS DECEMBER right before holiday break**

On the topmost floor of Hogwarts there was a pretty decent sized hallway and some little steps that lead to a landing on a half level below. It was near the Astronomy tower staircase and usually it was deserted in the early morning hours. This was where James started practicing his skateboarding. No teachers lurking, no students stuffing the hallways, no witnesses to see him fall flat several times in a row. Getting up early had been the hardest part but it was worth it.

That morning he was attempting to do a trick with the steps on the small staircase he had seen the girl Arianna doing outside once. He couldn't quite get the balance right to make the board do that flippy thing he remembered. He really wished he had someone to show him more tricks.

Just like magic, Arianna appeared in the hallway laughing at James. She skated down toward him, "Are you mental? What are you doing?" James scratched the back of his head, "The same thing you're doing. I'm skateboarding. Duh." Arianna rolled over in fits of laughter, "Did his royal highness just say 'duh?' You're going to hurt yourself move out of the way." She shoved him to the side and rolled her board down to the steps, she tried to slow down her movements, so he could see, "Can you see? You put your foot here, and then," She jumped and rolled, pushed, jumped, rolled and repeated the process many times getting faster and faster. Finally, she flung her board up with a stomp and said, "You try."

James was focusing very hard on his feet, Arianna stopped him, "You're thinking too much, just push this one down and then up here." She pointed to his feet and gave him a 'go on' motion. James did as she instructed and did a pathetic little move with his board. They both laughed. Arianna said, "It took me months! You'll get it." Then she skated down the hall and back while James practiced.

Later, they went to breakfast together and Arianna told him all about skateboarding and tried to describe the skate parks in America. James was blown away, he really wanted to go to one of these parks. "There's one in London.' Arianna said reading his mind. James was ecstatic, "Really!? We have to go! Will you go with me? Over holiday?" Arianna was unsure, "Well… I don't know. I can ask." James seemed to have taken this as a yes, "Excellent," he replied.

* * *

**Harry's new flat - Tuesday**

This new flat seemed so small. It's strange to think that he was used to something grander than a cupboard, or a spare room, or a tiny flat with no kitchen. His new flat was comfortable enough and very close to the Ministry. He liked to walk most mornings it gave him time to ponder.

He would ponder things like Draco Malfoy and Bulgaria. Or Tracey and Arianna. Sometimes, his mind would wander back to the battle and when this happened his sense of the world around him would fade away and buzzing would invade his ears, a grey haze would assault his peripheral vision, and he would be mentally transported. He could usually shake it off with some grounding exercises he'd learned from a fellow auror. He would feel, smell and look around him to come back to the present. Mindfulness and meditation were required for auror training and he was grateful for it.

His last mission had been more handshaking than hair raising. Miss Anna Ivanova, had recently been married until her husband discovered she could not bear children. This led to a hasty annulment and Anna's parents had been furious. It had taken the witch many years to agree to marry anyone and apparently, she had more than one reason. Her father had drugged her with veritaserum to 'get the facts' as he put it. Strangely, the girl didn't have a lot of facts except that something terrible had happened and Malfoy and Nott had somehow been involved. It sounded like they were helping her escape and clean up the mess rather that holding her prisoner. The girl's medical procedure and ensuing difficulties could hardly be blamed on anyone, least of all Malfoy or Nott. The case had basically died on arrival.

There was another problem though, Theodore Nott was missing, or rather, no one knew where he was. Even Draco claimed ignorance and looked like he wanted to find him just as much as anyone else. Maybe Tracey knew something about this? Even though she would have been in America at that time, maybe they told her something about it? Should he really interrogate his new girlfriend? That hardly seemed wise. Their relationship was like a new hatchling, very delicate, and he meant to nurture it before it crumbled in his hands.

There was a knock on the door which was unusual. Harry was cast out of his thoughts as he opened the door and there stood his very best bushy haired friend, "Hermione! Come on in."

She bristled past him and stood with that concerned look on her face. Biting her lip and furrowing her brow as she always did. Harry knew he was in for something, "What is it? You've got your 'I'm about to tell you something you don't want to hear' face on. So out with it." Hermione hugged him quickly, "First. Know that I love you like a brother." Harry pushed her back, "Yes. Me too, and now I'm scared. Spit it out."

Hermione did just that, "Ginny and I are involved. We're together."

Harry went from confused to even more confused. "I'm confused, you're seeing each other? In a non-friend capacity? In a lover's sort of way? Is that what you're saying? My ex-wife and my best friend?"

"Well," Hermione really didn't know what to say to that except, "yes."

Harry couldn't process the information he knew it would take him some time, "Hermione, I don't mean to be rude, but can you leave please? I need to be alone right now."

She hung her head and gave Harry a worried look as she left. He meant to tell her he was happy for them both because he was when he really thought about it, but she was gone. He grabbed his cell phone and asked Tracey to come over.

BREAK

"What's wrong Harry are you ok?" Tracey was sitting on a stool at the counter watching Harry pace back and forth. "Please talk to me. What's wrong?" Tracey was concerned. Harry stopped and tried to speak but he couldn't form the words. "I just can't believe this. I cannot. Believe. It. I'm. How am I supposed to feel about this?"

Tracey's expression changed to one of understanding, which was puzzling to him so he asked, "You know? Don't you?" She replied, "I think I know what you're talking about but I'm not sure and it's not my place to divulge something like that. So, can you tell me what happened?"

"Hermione is seeing you in therapy. I'm an idiot. You already know. Ginny and Hermione are together _together,_" Tracey sucked in a breath, "Yup. I thought that might be it. So, Hermione told you? I'm surprised by that. I thought Ginny would be the one to talk to you. Interesting."

"This is interesting? My ex-wife and my best friend being lovers is interesting?"

"_Not what I meant, and you know it. I'm sorry I said that. It was a poor choice of words."_

"I know what you meant, yes. It's all a study of the human psyche to you I'm sure."

"_That's not the point Harry. How you're feeling is totally justified and dare I say normal. It would be a shock to anyone and it is hard to accept."_

"You've boiled it down nicely. Thanks so much."

Tracey stands up and leans against the wall, "Why are you trying to goad me into a fight? Did you want a punching bag instead of an ear?"

"Yes, maybe I do. Maybe I'm tired of being sensible and doing everything everyone expects of me at all times." He paces around the small kitchen and back to where she's standing. His fists are balled up, but he softens when he sees her staring at him. He continues, "I'm tired of being held to this, this standard. I feel like I can't ever just be. Something is always springing up on me."

Tracey moves toward him, "Part of that is just life Harry. We never know what life will throw at us." She touches his arm and tries to hold his gaze, but he keeps looking at the floor in deep thought. She continues, "It's true you've suffered more than anyone should. Especially someone as kind and loving as you. It's a miracle you are who are, truly."

"The worst part of this, is that I'm not even angry at them. I don't hate either of them, I'm just confused as to why everyone around me is always hiding things from me to protect me but then it all comes out in the end and it hurts anyway." Harry feels his knees buckle and the weight of the world squashing him.

Tracey felt her guilt rise at his words. Horrible and cold and icy it gripped her chest. So many regrets and so many unsaid things lay between them. Would this ever work? Even though they had love, the sweetest kind of love, would it be enough? She wanted to take his pain away. This was what called out to her initially when they first fell in love. His pain was like a mirror of her own. It pulled at her heart.

She grabbed his hand and placed it on her heart, "I can't say I know exactly how you feel, but I feel you here right now, always." Harry gulped and stepped closer to her, he caressed the side of her face, "We've both been hurt, I don't mean to lay this all on you." Tracey shook her head, her eyes glistening, "No. I want you too. I want you to trust me and feel free to unburden, whatever it is." He grabbed her face in his hand and stepped into her angling for a kiss, "Are you sure you can handle all my burdens?" She pulled back slightly, "Are you sure you can handle mine?"

He grabbed her hair in both of his hands and breathed in hard before kissing her with every piece of him. She met him, blow for blow. Tears mixed with their furious lips and tongues. In this they pushed away their pain by letting it wash over them completely. Embracing each other with rough desire this was nothing like their gentle lovemaking. It was grief sex; a complete unburdening.

* * *

**A/N: I had a whole explicit scene at the end here, but I cut it out because it just felt clunky. There's nothing worse than an awkward scene. Sorry to leave it here but I had trouble with the ending for this one. Please review if you can and thank you for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Some flashbacks yay! I swear my next story I will not use flashbacks, haha.

Chapter 10:

**Iceland – Thursday afternoon**

This was not where Draco Malfoy thought he would be spending his Thursday afternoon, but all signs pointed here. Where was here? His guide barely spoke English, he barely spoke anything. Everything the man (Woman? Maybe?) had said to him so far had come out in squeaks and grunts. Thank Merlin for magic and warming spells because it was frigid as Hades up here. The volcanic flats of Iceland would have been a breathtaking sight for anyone to behold. Black and alien looking the steam rising from the ground added to the eeriness. Leave it to Theo to be in the most obscure place on the bloody planet. No one stayed on the flats for long, but apparently, his best friend was having a walkabout or something, who knows what these outdoorsy types are up to.

Draco could not wait to get back to civilization. This was his quota for adventuring for the year. The guide pointed to a slope and there crouched on the coal dark ground was the man he had been searching for. Draco yelled out, "Theo! You prat!" Theo turned his head but stayed near the ground. He didn't move to greet his friend. Instead Draco had to trek up to where he was and crouch down next to him.

"What's going on Drake?" Theo's mouth carefully made the words, his lips sticking together from dehydration and lack of use.

"You are out of your forsaken mind Theodore. We're leaving." With that Draco grabbed his friend and apparated away.

* * *

Standing in Malfoy Manor several house elves gathered around Theo, taking him to the couch and tending to his needs. Malfoy instructed the elves to get a room ready for Mr. Nott and Theo let his body collapse on the fine white sofa. "No, gah," Draco started to protest the grody man putting his filthy rags on the couch but then he thought better of it, "never mind. We'll get you a shower and some food."

* * *

Later, Theo emerged from his shower in absolutely nothing, not a stitch of clothing his brown hair wet and plastered to his face, his body dripping all over the place. Draco was waiting for him in the guest room and threw a pair of boxers at him. Theo reluctantly put them on and went to sit on the bed. Draco standing on the opposite side of the room, explained about the lawsuit and how everything was dropped, and they wouldn't have to do anything.

"Then why did you come and get me?" Theo asked.

Draco walked over to the bed and sat beside him, "I was supposed to just leave you out there and then what? You'd die and… well someone would be upset surely." Theo didn't laugh. Draco tried to perk him up, "What was I to do exactly? Let my brother die out there like a dog? Theo. THEO." He stayed quiet. Draco was frustrated. Theo wasn't grateful, or angry, or distraught, he was completely empty and numb.

After a few moments of silence Draco tried again, "Tracey's in Britain now. She somehow convinced Arianna to go to Hogwarts. Do you remember the video she sent when the owl came with her letter?" Draco laughed at the memory, "Tracey was so sure she would be all squeals and yelps, but Ari just stared at the letter in disgust and kept eating raisin bran. How could anyone hate magic as much as that kid? Especially when you're a kid, yeah? What's better than magic?"

Theo rubbed his chin, "There's a whole world out there that's better than this," he gestures vaguely around the room, "than this magic. Magic hasn't bettered anything or anyone, ever, as far as I can tell." Theo's throat was thick, and it closed up on him.

His host stands up to leave him alone with his thoughts, but he turns at the last second before shutting the door, "We can't change anything, and we did what had to be done. YOU did what had to be done. We're all grateful for it, Theo. All of us."

* * *

**BOSTON HOSPITAL March 12, 2001**

_Tracey had not been convinced to have a C-section in Britain where Draco had insisted she stay so he could keep tabs on her. She practically had to run away all over again but Theo, of all people, had helped her stand her ground. Now, they were here. Theo had stayed with her the entire surgery and afterwards. Arianna was born healthy as far as anyone could tell despite being some weeks early. They had to magic a fake placental abruption for the emergency surgery at the Muggle Hospital and Tracey was still under observation. She was in and out of consciousness and didn't really get a good look at her new baby girl until a few days later._

_In those days she had been lucid a handful of times. One of those times she saw Theo standing near the window, he had pulled the curtain open and there was a bright streetlight shining through, he was holding Arianna and showing the baby her first view of the world._

_Another time, Theo was taking paperwork from a very stern looking nurse. He was trying his best to understand all the instructions, so he could relay the information to Tracey. Thankfully, Tracey had caught the gist of what the nurse was talking about._

_The morning when Tracey was really fully awake and able to hold her daughter she had cried tears of joy. Theo was hanging back looking at the door, but Tracey bade him to come sit by her on the bed. "She's so quiet, so peaceful," Tracey remarked. Theo let out a low laugh, "She's a howler this one! You slept through it you'll see."_

_A few moments later and Theo was proven correct. Arianna started crying and searching for sustenance against Tracey's breast. The new mother instinctually pulled out her nipple and tried to get the baby to latch. Theo turned away from her unsure if she would want privacy or not when Tracey said, "Theo please help me." She was so flustered. Theo jumped up and grabbed a nurse at the station outside. He waited outside her room until the nurse came back out. Then he knocked unsure if he should stay at all. Tracey called out for him, "Theo! It's fine. Come and look!" _

_Theo saw the little baby nursing and Tracey smiling so bright and so filled with love, it filled him too, with something warm, something foreign. He thought maybe it was joy. This baby couldn't be a monster when it had so much love so freely given, he thought. He wouldn't let anything happen to them. _

_Sitting down beside the two, Theo's smile was just as warm and bright as Tracey's. _

* * *

**A Quiet Muggle Pub – London**

It didn't matter how many times Ron had seen her in this pub, alone every time, it still felt like a fresh spark when their eyes locked. They didn't really make any plans, they just sort of knew how to find one another. He supposed she wasn't really into labels or being tied to just one wizard. It had been a big step for her to go to the burrow with practically the whole Weasley clan there. He hadn't seen her since as she had been avoiding his owls, but he knew where she'd be. He was always the one to seek her out. Now, he had to approach her with something serious, and his courage was rapidly depleting.

When Harry had asked him to look into the Davis case he assumed it was an old obsession that his friend wanted, or needed, to lay to rest. To get all the answers and then move on completely. It turned into something much more than that. This Bulgarian girl wasn't going to be able to pin anything on anyone, Weasley knew that from the first, but she had information that may lead them in a direction he wasn't sure he wanted to follow. Harry had been insistent that they work this case as hard as any other, only they had to do it off the clock as much as possible. If there was even a chance that any of these victims were unwittingly harboring the darkest of magics, they wanted to be able to control the fallout. It wouldn't do to have the Ministry involved, they would just throw everyone in Azkaban and to hell with the consequences.

There was also the child or children to consider. Innocents, weren't they? Harry was compelled to protect any of them that may exist, since he himself had been marked by dark magic once. Ron had felt similarly, although he really just wanted to lay it all to rest so his best mate could have peace in his life for once. There had been a time when he was happy, and he wanted to help him get back to that place.

Where did that leave Ron though? What about his happiness? He had thought maybe Pansy might be a part of his future. Now, he had to throw her past back at her, and he was sure she'd never forgive him for it. There was really no way around it.

Pansy Parkinson sat at a table in the crowded pub alone. Her standoffish attitude created an invisible barrier around her. She was clearly not to be trifled with. Her dark hair was cut in a pixie and her eyes were a clear golden brown that almost perfectly matched her skin. Even though she didn't want any attention, Ron couldn't look away, he was drawn to her. Her skin glowed bronze even in the dim light of the pub and he just wanted to touch her.

Ron stood next to her, "Hi." Pansy turned her head in his general direction, "Hey, you come here often?" She smiled shyly.

"Not as often as I should." He took up the seat across from her. "So, thanks for coming to the Burrow with me. Did you hate every minute of it?"

Pansy swallows several gulps of beer, "No. Your family is very, enthusiastic." Ron gives her a half smile, "Yeah, that's one way to put it."

"_I'm sorry I haven't gotten in touch. I wanted too. I just-"_

"No. I understand, it's completely fine. I really do need to talk to you about something. Is it ok if we go someplace more private?"

"_Oh no. Is this a serious talk Ronald? Should I be addressing you as Agent Weasley?"_

"It's not official but it is, sort of, official."

Pansy's face drops, "Oh. Let's go to my place then."

* * *

Ron had actually never been to Pansy's flat. It was immaculate and sleek. Gray, black and white were the only colors, or rather, the only lack of colors that existed. Old Muggle black and white photos were displayed prominently throughout. He took a seat in the living room while she prepared the tea. It was unnerving being surrounded by Muggle art that didn't move or talk.

She set down the tea and sat beside him in silence. This was only getting harder as the quiet built up around them. He tried to gather himself and remember that he was a professional, and he needed to not spook her in anyway. So, he began softly, "Well, I know I don't talk much about work, but we had a, sort of a case, it was concerning, or… It's not really a case anymore, after today I guess it was just an unofficial inquiry, no settlement as far as I know, although Malfoy did leave the country after I specifically told the git not too so who knows if he'll suffer any repercussions. Most likely not because he never suffers any repercussions, does he? I mean how many times has that piece of-"

Pansy grabbed Ron's knee and it startled the man into silence. They looked into each other's eyes. She said quietly, "I know about Anna's parents and their foul justice seeking endeavor. Completely misplaced anger of course."

The redhead blew out a sharp breath, "Right. You know because-?"

"_Because Malfoy and Nott told me about it."_

"You're in touch with Nott? Do you know where he is?"

"_Yes, no, sort of. It's complicated. He reaches out every once in a while, same with Draco."_

"Are you all still friends or is this to do with what happened to Anna?"

"_You mean what happened to me, Anna, and Tracey right?"_

The Auror's pale face went stark white, he had guessed as much about Pansy, but no one had actually known for sure if she had suffered the same fate. He wasn't sure how to react, but, "Can I hug you now?"

The dark-haired witch smiled slightly at him, "That's very sweet Ron, thank you but I'm really OK."

He stared into her eyes trying to parse the truth from her expression and her words. He replied, "I think I need a hug though." This made the witch laugh softly, and they embraced in a hug. He held her softly at first, but then pulled her in tighter and closer. Pansy loosened in his hold and found herself slipping into sadness. She didn't even know where the tears had come from or what they meant. She hadn't cried since that night in the hotel room. For some reason knowing at that time that he was still out there and attacking others had broken her resolve. She cried so much that night, that it seemed after that, there were no more tears. The greatest reason to keep it all inside now was that she was unsure of herself and she feared that if she started to cry now she wouldn't be able to stop. This fear drove her to a dark place in Ron's arms. It was a place she had vowed never to sink too again.

He could feel her pulling away, and he held her tighter. She started to curse him, "I'm not some forsaken cry baby. I don't need coddling." He rubbed her back and whispered to her, "You need to know that I'm here for you. I don't think just saying it would prove it to you. You're an unbelievably hard nut to crack."

She pushed away from him, not wiping her tears away as they stood as badges on her cheeks, "What do you want to know?"

Ron pulled out his wand and a clear vial, "Do you want to show me?" She shook her head no, he put the wand and vial away and pulled out a notebook, "Can you just tell me than?" She nodded and replied, "What other tricks do you have in that robe?" The Auror smiled at her and pulled out a flask. He handed it to her and she gave a mumbled thanks. As she drank deep he braced himself for her testimony.

* * *

**Tracey Davis' Private Office - Monday**

Well, this wasn't awkward at all. Nope. Just your boyfriend's ex-wife and his best friend sitting in your therapy office for a little chat. Nothing could possibly go wrong. Tracey was all smiles for the new couple. She tried not to overdo it though since Ginny might think her disingenuous if she laid it on thick. She was very happy for Hermione though.

"So, what brings you two here today?" A nice simple start Tracey thought. Ginny crosses her arms over her chest, Hermione whispers something to her and she relaxes a little. Hermione gets things going, "We wanted to come in and ask about some strategies for telling Ginny's family and well, for dealing with Harry. He was very upset when I told him."

Ginny interrupted, "That's because I should've done it. I would've if someone didn't have the biggest mouth in all of London!"

Hermione scoffed, "Honestly, Gin, we talked about it. I didn't want to wait! I felt like a liar!"

"I asked for one more week to sort out what I was gonna say and you just blurted it all out and mucked it up." Ginny huffed.

Hermione had no defense and held out her hands palms up, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Tracey looked at Ginny. The woman wasn't budging apparently. "Ginny, this is a safe place for you to say whatever it is you're feeling. Hermione is expressing her regret; do you have a response to that?"

Ginny's jaw tightened, and her teeth clattered, "I have an angry response. Is that appropriate?"

Tracey looked between the two women, "Anything you want to say you can say here. We don't filter anything, but we do try to actively listen to one another. Alright?"

"We haven't even hammered out what we're doing, and she just runs and tells him! The divorce has barely been signed and sealed. It just seems a little..." Ginny trails off. Hermione picks up her thoughts, "a little fast?"

Ginny turns to Hermione, "Well yeah. It's fast but it's not fast you know?" Hermione nods, "Yes. I feel like we've been waiting for this moment though, don't you?"

"Actually, you've been waiting Hermione. I've been lying to myself and trying to be something I'm not." Ginny's tears flowed free then, "I knew I loved you. Back before. Don't you remember?"

Hermione's hands fidgeted in her lap. She did remember. She just wasn't sure how Ginny saw the past. Or how they both saw their future.

* * *

_**Paris – Summer 2000 – Some wine bar**_

_Ginny had been galivanting around Paris all summer, working her way from one friend's sofa to the next and going home with any attractive stranger she could find at the end of the night._

_Hermione had been there as well, but she only saw Ginny occasionally as she was busy seeing the sights and exploring._

_They decided to meet up on this night though because Mrs. Weasley had owled Hermione some concerns about her daughter. Ginny wouldn't respond to her family's inquiries and they were all about to descend upon Paris to drag her back home. Hermione convinced them to let her bring Ginny back tomorrow as Hermione was leaving then anyway._

_They met at some posh wine bar that Hermione had never heard of. Ginny was in the know, as it were, for all the new places to see and be seen. The place was full of the most well-to-do wizards and witches of Europe. Hermione felt ghastly and under dressed in her simple slacks and white blouse. Everyone was so fancy, especially Ginny. She was wearing a very expensive designer muggle fashion dress. It was fine silver and her whole body glowed with it. Hermione couldn't stop her mouth from dropping. She looked so grown up, and she fit in so well. _

_Ginny was chatting up some very attractive French wizard when Hermione approached, "Ginny! This place is gorgeous. And you look fabulous." Ginny brings her in for a hug, "Hermione! It's so good to see you. You look splendid." Ginny's companion gave Hermione a bit of a scowl, he turned to Ginny and whispered, "I'll see you later."_

_Hermione looked at her sideways, "Did I scare away your prey?" Ginny laughed, "Don't worry about him. He's a snob."_

_They tried lots of wonderful wines and chatted and laughed for hours. Hermione spotted Draco Malfoy and a gorgeous French woman on his arm. She asked Ginny, "Oh no, is that Draco Malfoy? Whose he with?" Ginny leaned down and giggled, she was drunk, "That's his wife Hermione. His new French goddess of a wife. She's so hot." Hermione's mouth dropped, and she slapped Ginny's arm teasingly, "Ginny! What has gotten into you?"_

_Ginny leaned back against the bar and stared at Mrs. Malfoy openly. "Draco and she make the most gorgeous couple, don't you think?" Hermione glanced over at them trying not to be as obvious as Ginny, "Yes. They look quite happy together." Hermione's frown deepened, she wouldn't be telling Ginny about the horrible Malfoy kissing incident. Ginny turned back to face Hermione and grabbed her arms, "I want to dance. And I know just the place. Let's go!" Just like that Ginny grabbed her wand and apparated them to a dance club. _

_Hermione was dizzy and a little peeved, "Ginny! You shouldn't side-along apparate, or apparate AT ALL when inebriated. Goodness, Merlin!" Ginny pulled her into the club shouting, "Hermione you need this more than I do, trust me."_

_The club was small, crowded and way too loud. Bodies moved together in some sort of rhythmic swaying as music filled their heads and bodies with static and thumping. Several muggles approached Ginny with recognition and warm greetings. It seems that she was a regular here. "This is my secret place. It's a muggle lesbian club." Hermione's shock could not be contained, "Ginny what on EARTH. I.. well… how did you... and why... GINNY!" Ginny laughed at Hermione's red cheeks, "Hermione, your face! It was worth it for that alone. Don't be a stick in the mud."_

_Hermione didn't want to appear to be anything but the open-minded witch she was. She didn't care if this was a gay club. She didn't care in the slightest. Although, she was uncomfortable. This was her first club period and for it to also be full of lesbians? She thought she was going to die of shock. Could they tell she didn't belong? Would they kick her out? She really didn't think they should be there._

"_I don't think we should be here." Hermione whispers in Ginny's ear. Ginny shakes her friend, "Hermione! This place is a dream come true. No men. No wizards. No bullshit. Just music and the crush of humanity writhing against us." Ginny rubs her hands up and down her own body, "Dance with me Hermione."_

_Hermione starts to loosen up as she dances with Ginny and all the strangers around her. She feels shockingly at ease after the first couple of songs. Everything was so uninhibited here. Hermione would of course, blame it on the wine, but she was enjoying herself._

_The night flew by and it was a blur. After some sort of green concoction Hermione couldn't feel her legs anymore, and that's when she lost all sense of time and place. She remembered the sun just starting to come up as her eyes finally closed. _

* * *

_KNOCK KNOCK_

_Hermione's mouth was made of fuzz and her clothing was scattered. She heard the knocking but couldn't register what she was supposed to do about it. A loud groan escaped from Ginny as she rolled off the bed in a huff, she threw open the hotel door and yelled at the attendant on the opposite side. Hermione went to rinse her mouth out in the bathroom and pull on her pajama bottoms. When she got back to the bed Ginny was lying face down once more in the same dress as the night before._

_Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed gently shaking the redhead, "Ginny," she whispered, "Gin." Ginny rolled over staring at the ceiling, "I don't want to go back. I want to start over." Hermione nodded in understanding, "Ginny, it's been a great experience you can always look back on. You'll never forget Paris."_

"_It doesn't have to end Hermione." Ginny sat up and took her hands, "we can stay here."_

_Hermione laughed, "What are you talking about? We have our whole lives, your family, everything is in Britain."_

"_Everything is right here." Ginny said somberly. _

"_We have to go. If I don't bring you home your mother will murder me." Hermione pushed Ginny up to sitting and the redhead tried to push her back down to the bed. "Get off me!" Hermione said laughingly. Ginny rolled off the bed and stood in front of Hermione, "do you remember last night at all?" She pushed Hermione's hair back and let her hand graze along her jaw, her thumb circled her lips, and as Hermione was trying to recall pieces of the night, Ginny bent down and gave her a tender kiss. Hermione's eyes flew open but then she closed them and grabbed Ginny's waist. After a moment she pushed her away. Ginny whispered, "We'll always have Paris."_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

**Ministry of Magic – Tuesday afternoon**

Harry was in a daze. His mind was clear it was just preoccupied. The holidays were right around the corner and he had a million things to do at work. He was glad to be busy though, it made the days pass quickly and the nights were filled with Tracey. They really did pick up right where they had left off.

Ron was walking fast down the hall, barking at anyone in his way when he motioned for Harry to follow him into a conference room. Ron looked around to make sure the room was empty and cast many charms in quick succession to guard the room and silence it. Harry stood with his arms across his chest waiting for the explosion.

"Ginny and Hermione, well," Ron looked sadly at his friend, "Maybe you should sit down for this Harry." Harry sat down, but leaned forward resting on his knees, "Ron I already know. Hermione told me last week."

Ron was flabbergasted, "Why… How.. Well. I'm always the last to know everything. Bloody always." Ron sat down in the chair next to Harry and rubbed his face, "I can't believe it. It does explain a few things though I reckon."

"Like what?" Harry was curious.

Ron tried to explain, "Well. She never really seemed interested in… I mean we loved each other back in school but she wasn't really up for it, you know what I mean?"

Harry didn't know what he meant and didn't want to. He simply shook his head at his friend and made to leave the room. Ron stopped him, "Wait. That's not all of it Harry."

Sitting back down Ron looked very serious as he spoke, "Theo Nott is back. He's at Malfoy Manor. I've also been doing some digging, that girl Anna had a botched abortion right? Well, Pansy Parkinson was at that same clinic merely two weeks before, she was attacked as well. I thought we could interview Pansy together on the record. She's already agreed."

Harry was curious but, "Interview her why exactly? It's not our business."

"That's not all of it," Ron interrupted, "Theo was in Boston. When Tracey was having Arianna, he was there at the same time."

Something prickled the back of Harry's mind, hackles being raised. "What does that have to do with Parkinson? Or Anna? Or Draco?"

"Well," Ron sighed, "They're all at Malfoy Manor right now."

* * *

**Malfoy Manor – Tuesday night**

The Manor hadn't had so many visitors in a long time and Narcissa Malfoy was in heaven. She doted on the girls and fussed over the boys. It was joyous. Even if Theo looked like death warmed over, she would have to figure out what was going on with him. She was also busy planning the annual Malfoy New Year's party which was fast approaching. Everyone would be there, all the kids, and Tracey. Come to think of it, Narcissa turned to face Draco who was standing against the fireplace on the other side of the room, "Draco dear, where is Tracey? Is she a part of this little impromptu gathering of yours?"

Draco set down his glass and briskly walked past the stares of Anna and Pansy, when he was next to his mother he leaned down, "Tracey can't make it, sadly. Mother would you mind checking on Theo? He's not doing so well, as you know." Yes, Narcissa did know, "Yes, I'll see where he's hiding son."

Pansy walked up to Draco, "We should disperse. It's suspicious to have us all here at the same time." Draco sighed heavily, "Yes I'm aware Pansy. When I owled you two I wasn't expecting you to both show up together and send my mother into hostess mode extraordinaire. You can't leave now, she's having too much fun."

Pansy shrugged, and Anna walked up to them, "I don't think we should hide da truth. You are all secrets. We should just tell dem. Da auroarts." Pansy pats her arm, "Aurors dear, AUR-ORS." Draco huffs, "We'll all go to PRI-SON if the auroarts find out." Pansy shakes her head, "I don't think so. I think there might be more victims. We should have come forward years ago!"

At this Draco loses his cool, "And then you'd both have been interrogated and publicly humiliated, Theo and I would be in prison, Tracey would have lost Arianna, everything would be fucked." Pansy hisses at him, "We don't know what would have happened and we don't know if there are any more kids out there and we don't know if they wouldn't just throw us a parade for ridding the world of the most vile, piece of.."

"Ahem," Theo stands just behind Pansy, "Am I interrupting one of your fits Pans? Please continue." Pansy turns on her heel to face him, "Theo, darling. Lovely of you to join us." She gives him a peckon the cheek and then walks off to towards the kitchen. Anna soon follows her.

"What did I say?" Theo turns to Draco who replies, "They think we should come forward with everything."

Theo walks to the fireplace and leans his head down toward the flames, "I agree. I'm turning myself in."

Draco scoffs, "Are you MAD? They'll send you to Azkaban." Theo doesn't react, so he continues, "They'll send ME to Azkaban!"

The troubled man standing at the fire was not someone Draco knew anymore. He's not the fighter he would walk through hell for. He doesn't know where his brother in arms has disappeared too.

Theo breathes in deep as if this next sentence is going to take a lot of air, and energy, "Draco, I will leave you and Tracey out of it. Me, Pans, Anna we will go, and we will tell them the truth." Draco tries to interrupt him his pale face turning a bright shade of pink, Theo continues louder, "We will leave YOU out of IT. You won't have to worry."

"They can use veritaserum on you, on all of you." Draco huffs.

"We won't let them do that. You see, we'll have the best lawyer in town on our side." Theo smirks.

"So, you want me to help after all? Just as your lawyer? This isn't what I do Theo. I don't think I'm the most qualified." Draco plopped down on the sofa.

"Then just me." Theo replies. "I'll go in and tell them it was just me. You can stay out of it. I'll make a deal for no legilmens and no veritaserum, they'll have to trust my full confession and nothing else."

Draco actually laughs a full bellied laugh at this and the scene is disconcerting, "That will never work, and you know it."

"Well I can't live with myself anymore! I can't live without them! It's over!" Theo storms out of the room.

The room is quiet, and its emptiness leaves a hollow feeling in Draco's chest. As much as he's loathed to do it, there is really only one person with enough clout to help them pull this off. He probably should have called him years ago, but his pride wouldn't allow it. Now, he had a reason to push his pride aside. Theo was his best friend, his brother, and Pans and Tracey were like sisters, he couldn't lose any more family, not that his father was a great loss but still. His ex-wife was also not that great of a loss all things considered. These people here now though? He wouldn't lose them. He wouldn't let Theo go to prison. After all, only a few people in this world know what it's like to kill your own father.

* * *

**Muggle Café – Sunday afternoon**

It was Sunday which was normally a day for family and relaxing for one Harry Potter. This Sunday however, he was at some strange little café waiting for one tall blonde git with a chip on his shoulder. Why they were meeting at a Muggle Café on a Sunday was soon to be revealed. The café was quiet outside, and Harry was enjoying the terrace when soft rain drops started to fall. He moved inside the café along with some other patrons who were caught in the rain. Standing awkwardly in the entrance blocking the only escape is when he spotted Malfoy on the street outside.

"It's raining," Harry says to Draco. The blonde replies, "Yes, shall we go in?" Harry shakes his head, "It's full."

"Well we can't really have this conversation in the middle of the street whilst it rains, can we?" Draco says curtly.

Harry tosses his head to the side, "It depends on whether we need to have a full conversation or not. Because with that attitude Malfoy, I'm thinking we don't have anything to say to each other." He makes his way past Malfoy who was pinching the bridge of his nose, Draco's anger was gathering but he tries to breathe through it, "Harry, please. Will you please come with me down the street? There's another spot where we can talk out of the rain, and," he swallows all his anger, "this is very important, a very delicate situation. People's lives are at risk." Harry considers this but continues to walk away. Draco shouts after him, "It's about Tracey!" Harry stops.

When they get to the new spot down the street they find a corner table near the kitchen and place up protective charms over the whole spot. They check for listening devices quickly and scan the crowd for any magical signatures. With their table secured Harry simply shrugs and puts his hands up, waiting for Draco to speak. Draco tells Harry, nearly everything, "Theo's father was the assailant. Pansy identified him after her attack and the girl Anna? She basically described him." Harry interrupts, "What do you mean basically? Was it him or not?" Draco sighs, "I'm not an investigator! She was sure it was him from the photos we showed her, but her English was sketchy back then and she was a traumatized girl. Anyway," Draco drank his tea before continuing, "Theo was sure. He had evidence of some seriously, I mean really depraved blood magic that his father had been experimenting with. Things got out of hand at Theo's place one night. His father attacked me, attacked Theo, we had no choice."

Harry looks at Draco with pity and a bit of disgust. Draco ignores him, "I'm not here for your judgment. After that, the attacks stopped. If that's not proof, then what is?"

"_Well, actual evidence, witness testimony, confessions, those things are actual proof Malfoy."_ Harry stares off at another table.

"He was a monster Potter."

"_Even so. You know I can arrest you now for confessing all this? You've been transporting victims all over the world without clearance, covering up major crimes, killing a possible suspect… I mean really why did you come to me with this? Why are you trusting me at all?"_

Draco's face softened, he tilted his head to the side as if remembering, "Have you ever loved anyone more than yourself? I hated myself for a long time, but then Julien was born. You have children you know what they do to your life, to your heart and your soul. He changed me… And when I found Tracey,… I just knew I had to help her and her baby. Would you not have done the same?"

Harry leaned back and really thought about it. _"Are you saying, that Arianna is a result of that night?"_

"The truth is Harry, we just don't know. Arianna is the only baby to be born after these attacks."

"_You said it was Theo's father, but what was he trying to do? What was the blood magic for?"_

"This is why I'm bringing this to YOU and no one else, Harry. He was trying to rebirth the Dark Lord."

Harry lost all senses at that moment. He could not see, touch, taste, or hear anything at all. Blackness flooded his vision.

* * *

**The Burrow – Day after Christmas**

The house was full to the brim and yet oddly quiet. Ginny was helping her mother clean up in the kitchen, the younger kids were scattered playing hide and seek, and James, Teddy and Victoire were glued to their respective tablets and chatting every so often. Hermione was sitting with Harry in a little nook in the den. "Well," Hermione says, "we had talked about telling everyone right after Christmas dinner, but we didn't want to upset the holiday. So, now I think Ginny is going to tell her Mum first and then we'll take it from there." Harry nods in understanding, as he tries to remember how they got to this point.

"WHAT?! OH MY WORD." Mrs. Weasley is heard shouting in the kitchen and a loud bang of the door disrupts the atmosphere. Mrs. Weasley barrels toward Hermione and looks at her sternly, "How could you not say anything?! We went through the whole holiday and you said not a word. Hermione, I expected more from you." Hermione didn't know if she should hang her head or laugh. Mrs. Weasley pulls her into a hug as Ginny comes up behind her throwing two thumbs up in the air and smiling. It looks like they had nothing to worry about after all.

Ginny and Hermione hold hands on the couch later while they try to interject into the broken conversations of their teenage family members. Harry is staring out the window when Ron approaches with two snifters of brandy, "A'ight mate?" Harry mumbles a "fine" and downs the brandy in one quick go.

"Oi," Ron punches his arm lightly, "what's up?"

"_I can't Ron. Not yet anyway. We're supposed to meet Tracey and Arianna in a few. Wish me luck though?"_

"Good luck."

Harry motions to James by pointing to his watch and James shoots up as fast as lightning. He grabs his skateboard and yells a quick thanks and bye to everyone. Harry hugs Ginny and Hermione goodbye and sets off with James to the skate park.

* * *

When they arrive at the indoor skate park both of them are astonished. It's massive and oddly crowded for being the day after Christmas. "Everyone must be trying out their new decks," James says thoughtfully. Harry wonders to himself 'what is a deck?'

They find Arianna already out in the thick of it. She's really moving fast, and Harry gets a little nervous for her as she approaches a rail, but she handles it with skill and impresses James. "I have to learn to do that!" James says as he runs off to greet her. Arianna shows him around. Tracey waves at Harry where she's standing off to the side between two concrete ramps, she leans to him, "Let's go outside yeah?" Harry agrees.

They head into the chilly winter day hand in hand. Harry takes Tracey to the side of the building, leans her against the wall and gives her an impassioned kiss. Tracey giggles when they break apart, "I feel like were sneaking about the halls of school snogging." Harry remembers those times fondly. He leans beside her against the wall. Settling into his silent contemplation, Tracey only glances at him every few minutes. Clearly, he's thinking of what to say. Years of practice have taught Tracey extreme patience in all circumstances, but this was starting to make her palms sweat with anticipation.

"Tracey," Harry begins with his eyes up to the sky, "I know about Theo's father. Draco told me everything."

Tracey couldn't stop her sharp intake of breath which sounded more like a hiccup. "He told you everything? You didn't arrest them? You're not taking me in for questioning?"

Harry turned to her then, "No. I don't want to know any more. I won't put you through any more of it. It's over. I don't care who Arianna's father is, do you understand? I only care about your safety, your happiness. It's all that matters now." Harry grabbed her hair gently and wound it around his fingers. His voice was as soft as his touch. He would figure out why they were all attacked and fix it, without her knowing or suffering anymore.

She was confused but also grateful that he wouldn't be pursuing an arrest of Theo or Draco. She wasn't going to ask him the whys and wherefores. However, she did have one question, "Do you want a paternity test? Arianna wants one. I haven't told her everything, but she knows about us, obviously."

Harry turned to her then and smiled sweetly, "I don't want any tests. I want to move on, with you."

Tracey agrees but deep down she knows that Arianna needs the test, to have her questions answered. In that moment it means something to Tracey and it makes her act. She pulls her hands through Harry's hair and grabs the back of his head to bring him in for a kiss. The stray hairs stay in her fingers until she can navigate them into her pocket without raising suspicion. It wasn't really a lie, she told herself, because he would never know. This was for her and her daughter alone.


	12. Chapter 12

Author: Tio is Spanish for Uncle and also sounds a lot like Theo's name; to a small child anyway.

Chapter 12:

**Malfoy Manor – New Year's Day – morning-ish**

The aftermath of a Malfoy Manor shindig was a sight to behold. The Manor's great hall reeked of sulfur and booze. The occasional unsanctioned indoor firework had been prevalent at last night's festivities and Narcissa was fretting over the state of her ancient drapery which had been singed beyond all magical repair. "Is no one civil anymore? This generation, honestly. They are monstrous." Narcissa was yelling at no one in particular but many house elves were tut-tutting right along with her and cleaning as fast as their magic would allow.

Seeing the state of the great hall Draco swiftly turned tail and ran the other way down to the kitchens where hopefully there was a large amount of espresso. He knew that he drank too much and was a bit of a rascal last night, but he can't recall exact details. Well, maybe there were two things he could remember vividly, and he wished to forget them both.

_**New Year's Eve night – Malfoy Manor Gardens**_

_Running after Julien through the gardens, Draco lost his breath as the precocious youth grabbed a broom he had clearly hidden earlier and sped off into the sky. Draco cursed and kicked the stones surrounding a small fountain. He had run further into the garden than he'd thought, and he groaned at the prospect of a long walk back. Julien was definitely going to get a talking too when he returned. Making your father run in dress boots is worth a lashing alone is it not?_

_Meandering through the gardens at a more leisurely pace Draco breathed in the crisp night air. He took his time around the bougainvillea to breathe in the garden. That's when he heard the distinct sound of female giggling. He snuck around the plant trying to secure himself a position low to the ground near a topiary. He peeked around the corner and saw Hermione laughing and pulling someone down the path. _

_He didn't want to be caught peeping in on them, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. He pursued and cast a disillusionment charm just in case. At the small fountain he saw them, embracing very tenderly as Hermione pointed up at the stars. Then, Ginny Weasley turned and kissed Hermione Granger. At that moment Draco couldn't help himself, he guffawed. It was too loud, and they definitely heard him. He made a quick getaway, but they cut him off around the other side of a hedge and cast a finite where the sound had been. Draco fell to the ground in a drunken fit of laughter. "Of course. I should have guessed as much. You're a lesbian, and it explains so much I can't even explain." Hermione stood over him, hands on hips, "You're drunk Malfoy, you're not making sense." She pulled him up to standing._

"_Oh, aren't I though? Are I not?" Draco was laying on the drunkenness thickly so that he could disavow any knowledge of this later. _

_Ginny pulled Hermione away from him, "C'mon let's go. He'll sleep it off."_

_Hermione was looking at Draco concerned, "Should we walk you back? Are you feeling ok?"_

_He stares at the ground not wanting to see her, or maybe not wanting her to see him, "I'm excellent, just headed back. If you see a flying boy do let the elves know."_

_Draco headed down the path still laughing at it all. He shouldn't have been surprised, should he? I mean, she was the only witch to ever turn him down so obviously she was gay. Why hadn't he seen it before? It still stung a little though. What must Potter be feeling about it all? That poor bastard, he thought. _

_The kitchens were bustling when he entered, clearly the night was in full swing. He just needed a sobering draught and a little privacy to sort out his head. He grabs the potion and a quick espresso and heads to his father's old study. When he enters he knows immediately someone else is there._

_Sitting in his father's chair with her legs crossed over each other she sat in a semi-meditative position. Her eyes were closed, and she was talking to herself. _

_Draco sat down in the chair opposite her on the other side of the desk, he propped his feet up and let out a loud sigh. "Hermione is gay. And she's snogging the Weasley bint out in the gardens." _

_The contemplative brunette slowly opened her stormy blue eyes and blinked a few times. "I know."_

"_Well then you know more than me. Again." Draco says._

"_Why did you tell Harry about Theo's father? You could have left that bit out." Tracey says_

"_I could not leave anything out. Theo was going to run and turn himself in and Pans was right behind him. I couldn't let them just sacrifice themselves. We all made mistakes, we've all suffered enough." Draco said._

_Tracey slowly smiled at him, "You've grown up so much Draco. You are truly the wisest man I know."_

_Draco shrugs, "I try not to be conceited but I am rather brilliant, charming, good looking, a sexy beast actually, then there's my…" Tracey interrupts him, "Yes. You're fabulous, and I need your fabulous council if you don't mind." He throws his arms wide as if to say, 'ask away.'_

_She pulls out a small vial with what look like little fibers or hairs. "I want to test Arianna's DNA and Harry's to see if he's the father. The problem is that he doesn't want any testing done at all now. I have his hairs but it's not the most reliable method. I'm not sure if I should go through with it or not."_

_Draco scoots down into the chair letting his legs fall to the floor, he puts his index fingers in a steeple pointed at his mouth in a contemplative pose. They stare at each other for some time. Tracey really is a devious little Slytherin still after all these years. It brings Draco some amount of comfort. She'll always be one step ahead of Potter. The ramifications for determining Arianna's true parentage, however, would affect more than just her little family._

"_This is inadvisable Trace. You simply cannot go behind Potter's back, and regardless of that, the implications if he's not the father, well, it's not safe for any of us, least of all Arianna." Draco gets up out of his chair and turns toward the door. Tracey sits at the desk still, and rubs her temples, "I have to know. I won't tell anyone, but I want to know. If it's not what we want then I'll destroy it, and at least then I'll have some idea what we might be dealing with."_

_He turns around on her suddenly, "Are you implying what I think you are? I don't want to know," he throws his hands in the air and leaves the room. Theo is standing in the hall, clearly eavesdropping. Draco passes by him not saying a word._

* * *

**Malfoy Manor – New Year's Day – gardens**

Walking around in circles around a small fountain Julien is memorizing shield charms and protective spells for a practical exam. He doesn't have to practice outside but the inside of the Manor is too crowded for his liking. So many of the guests from last night's party had stayed overnight. He was hoping to avoid them all, and in particular he was hoping to avoid any awkward goodbyes.

The party had been fun though he had to admit. There weren't many kids his age, but it was hilarious to see his father stumbling around the dance floor and the indoor fireworks spectacle was one that no one would soon forget.

A crunching sound alerted Julien to the fact that he was no longer alone. He kept murmuring to himself regardless perhaps they would take the hint and keep walking.

Arianna walked up to the fountain and stood facing Jules, "Morning. What are you doing?" Julien glances at her and then continues pacing in a circle, he mumbles, "Practicing." Arianna pushes off the fountain and pulls out her own wand, she mumbles and practices her wand waving. Jules looks at her out of the corner of his eye. Arianna tries to remember the correct movements for a particular charm and chews the end of her wand in thought. Jules looks at her in disgust, "Oi! What are you doing?" He pulls her wand away from her mouth, and he continues to warn her, "You can't do that do you want to burn your lip off?" Arianna glances down dejectedly, "It's a habit. I'm trying to stop," Jules shakes his head and walks away from her to take back up his pacing.

"So…" Arianna holsters her wand, "when we get back to school, are you going to ignore me again?"

Jules stops pacing, he's facing away from her, "I don't know. It's not as easy for me you know? It's different in Slytherin house. You wouldn't understand."

"When we're not at school we can be friends?" Arianna asks, "But when we're at school we have to pretend to hate each other? Is that what you want?"

Jules sighs, "I don't know Ari. I guess."

"Just let me know when you figure it out." Arianna walks away and back up to the house.

Julien really wishes he could give her a better answer. If she had been in Slytherin like she was supposed to none of this would be happening. Now she's friends with James Potter the prince of Gryffindor and nothing is working out the way it should. He took comfort in his studies and tried to focus more, like his father had told him. If he kept his head down and stayed out of trouble, he wouldn't get expelled. From all the stories his Dad had told him he thought that pranking between houses was common. Things change in so many years and the headmistress had a splinter in her side, and its name was 'bullying.' She considered Julien Malfoy to be public bully number one and set her sights on him. Now, if he stuck one toe out of line he would be kicked out, no trial, no warnings, just out forever. Julien absolutely could not let that happen. Despite everything he loved magic and he wanted to learn how to be the best. Then he could get away from the Manor and every other noisy sod and pave his own way. He couldn't wait to be free of the whole lot of them. Well, maybe not Ari though, she could come with, if she wanted too. She was rubbish at magic anyway, he'd have to help her most likely, he thought.

**Malfoy Manor – Tracey and Arianna's Guest Room**

Tracey was waving her wand around gathering up all their various clothes and what not and packing them in a small suitcase. She tried to fix her hair in the mirror when Theo appeared in the reflection behind her, "Merlin, why did you sneak up on me?" Theo answered, "I thought you heard me knock. Don't be so jumpy." Tracey laughs him off, "I'm not jumpy!" Theo scoffs at her, "You sound jumpy. Forsaken, Tracey, I scare you, don't I?"

She had no idea how to answer that. After America and everything they'd been through together, was she scared of him? He had protected her and Arianna for the first few years of her daughter's life. They lived together and worked together to figure out the mystery of the attacks, but when Theo left America he told her not to come searching for him. He had told her to forget about him completely. Last night though he seemed to remember it differently.

* * *

_**Malfoy Manor – Great Hall – New Year's Eve Night**_

_Pansy and Tracey were trying to teach Arianna how to do the formal dance of the evening in the middle of a crowd of drunk wizards. Many toes were being stepped on and Arianna thought them both completely 'barmy' as the British would say. Arianna extricated herself from the scene quite skillfully. Pansy had spun away with some tall dark wizard of questionable morals and Tracey found herself face to shoulder blade with Theodore Nott. He grabbed her hand and twirled her about as she laughed. He pulled her in close as the music slowed. Tracey threw her head back and breathed in deep, she lost her head for a minute in the dizzying sway of the crowd. Now, it was slowing down, and Theo was guiding her._

"_You look great Trace, I missed you." Theo yelled at her. _

"_I'm right here you don't have to shout. You look good too Theo." Tracey shouted back at him._

_They swayed in silence as Draco danced around them smiling with a very beautiful witch in his arms, he made a rude gesture at Theo and they all laughed heartily. Theo spun Tracey around and out and then back into his arms. He started to move them toward the back of the hall, and then he pulled her outside before she could even get her bearings._

_He sat down in the only chair on the balcony. Tracey leaned up against the railings staring at the stars and cooling off. She faced the sky above but said to him, "I didn't know you were back, you could have called or owled or something." Theo stared at her very hard and even though his movements had been lazy and relaxed his eyes were fierce and calculating. He barely breathed as he spoke, "Why did you come back here to Britain Trace?" She spun around to face him, still leaning on the railing, "Arianna got into Hogwarts. I had an opportunity at the Ministry. All signs pointed home, so I just…" _

"_You just destroyed all our carefully laid plans. You forced her into that school knowing full well what might be waiting for her there. Then you threw yourself into the lion's den with no regard for anyone around you." His voice was distraught and angry. _

"_You left us years ago Teddy. How long was I supposed to wait?" Tracey was confounded._

"_Forever," he said without a hint of sarcasm. He scooted forward in the chair and rubbed his forehead, "it doesn't matter anyway. It's over now. I'm finished with it, with the whole conspiracy."_

_Tracey rushed toward him and grabbed his hand away from his face, "What are you saying? Theo are you leaving again or…?" Theo pulled her down onto his lap and hugged her, she couldn't see his face, but he was whimpering, was he crying? She tried to turn and look at him, he misread her signal and laid a kiss on her. Tracey didn't respond. Theo pulled back, the tears were evident now. "It was all too much. I'm glad you're happy, I mean, are you, happy Trace? Are you happy with him? Is Arianna safe?" Tracey looked into his eyes, a little frightened, a little sad, "Yes. We're both safe and happy." _

_He slid her off his lap and stood beside her. He grabbed her hand and squeezed a goodbye, "Good, that's good." Then Theodore Nott walked away, and Tracey didn't see him again that night._

* * *

**Malfoy Manor outside terrace/entryway into house**

Theo stands with his back leaning against the side of the house, smoking a cigarette and staring at the gardens in the afternoon sun. Arianna comes out of the hedges kicking rocks and shuffling her feet. The girl had grown he noticed. She was tall and lanky and thank Merlin she looks like her Mother and not like his family, or that Potter git. Theo calls out to her, "Ari! Come here, love." Arianna shuffles a little faster towards him and she gives him a half-hearted hug, "Hey Tio," she leans against the wall staring at the ground, heaving very dramatic sighs. "What on Earth is all this huffing and puffing about then?" Theo puts out his smoke and turns to the girl waiting for a response or acknowledgement of some sort. He might be waiting awhile. She looks him in the eye and shrugs. Then she leans back against the wall and stares at the sky.

Theo can't help but laugh, "Merlin, you are really headed straight for teenager hood then? Try not to be so hard on your Mum alright? Give her a break. Actually, give her several long and immediate breaks."

Arianna pushes off the wall to stare at him quizzically.

Theo gives her a hug and whispers to her, "Please by kind to her kid. For me ok? And take care of yourself, forget all the losers who aren't worth your time yeah? Take care of you first before anyone else. I know you can do that." He laughs at her, or maybe at himself for being such a cryptic Uncle.

"Tio, are you alright?" Arianna asks in confusion at this suddenly serious Uncle. Where did her playful childlike Uncle go? The one who always snuck her ice cream and let her watch inappropriate yet hilarious videos?

Theo just smiles at her, "I'm never better then when you're around and smiling little Ari. Never better."

Arianna smiles, and Theo walks away.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: I've hit a slump. I have so much going on. If you've been reading along thus far I cannot thank you enough. Every view means so much to me since I sometimes lack motivation to keep going. So, thank you for reading and if you're feeling generous please leave a review, I appreciate it, truly.

**Now for the warning: this chapter contains suicide off-screen, but everyone has to deal with the aftermath. If this is upsetting to you, you may want to skip it**. Also, femmeslash. Is that awkward? Maybe. I didn't want to have a full on heavy chapter, so the last scene is Hermione and Ginny.

* * *

Chapter 13:

**Hogwarts – Gryffindor Common Room – Mid January**

School was most definitely back in full swing. The common room was noisy with Quidditch nonsense and Arianna who had been minding her own business in a quiet corner, was forced to get up and move through the crowd to get out of the noise. James somehow snuck up on her and pulled her further into the fray. "We're celebrating Davis! Come and join us!" James was red-faced and screaming. "What," Arianna yelled back, "are they celebrating, another Quidditch win? It's not my thing _Potter_." She turned away from him and in a few quick strides she was out the portrait door. James spun around fast after her.

"Ari!" He yelled at her climbing through and following, "Ari! Wait!"

She spun around, her finger pointing in his face, "Don't call me that. Don't ever call me that."

James backed up away from her, his laughter and good mood dissipating, but not at Arianna's protests it was at the dark and moody professor standing just behind her, "Ari," he breathed and pointed behind her.

Professor Longbottom looked very dark indeed. His head was hanging down low to whisper to Arianna and his eyes were wet with tears. Arianna was crying now too as Professor Longbottom turned her away and walked her down the hall. James stood there confused, but ultimately, he turned and went back to the common room. He thought he would write his father and maybe he would know what's going on.

* * *

**Nott Family Manor – one week later**

The funeral had been small and quick. It was a blessing really, because to draw it out would have been too much for any of them to bear. They had all cried for days, and it felt like years had been drained from them. In a way they had, all those years they wouldn't have with him were gone, here one moment and then, nothing.

Pansy was the only one who had moved onto anger. Her anger was directed squarely at Tracey Davis.

"You shouldn't have come back here. Or at the least you should have known something was wrong. You're a therapist, forsaken Merlin! What good are you? Huh? You tossed him out and you knew he was in trouble, we all knew something was wrong, but you were the only one who could fix it." Pansy was screeching toward the end. Draco stood in the corner holding onto Julien for dear life. Anna was hiding in a chair tears silently falling. Arianna was sat nearly on top of the fireplace, placing her hand dangerously close to the fire and then pulling it away, back and forth her eyes empty and focused on the flame. Tracey was standing at the opposite end of the room as far away from Pansy as she could. Harry was next to her and he spoke up for Tracey, "No one could have prevented this Pansy. No one! It isn't anyone's fault. He made up his mind, he found a way, and none of us could have stopped it!" Harry held onto Tracey's hand, but she pulled away from him and said, "Harry, can you leave us alone for one minute please?" Harry stared into her eyes and could see there was no arguing with her right now, so he left the room quietly.

Tracey met Pansy in the middle of the room toe to toe, she opened her mouth first to yell but, when she looked into Pansy's broken soul she just reached out and grabbed her into a hug. Pansy slapped her arms away and tried to fight her, but her tears were fast, and Tracey was stronger. Draco glanced at the scene from the corner of his eye, but he kept his distance staying close to Julien, whom he knew did not want anyone seeing him cry. Arianna's eyes were burning from the fire. Tracey and Pansy had fallen to the floor in a heap and they were whispering to each other now, soft 'I love you's' seeping into the room every so often.

Harry came back into the room then with a tall young wizard who carried a briefcase and a wand in one hand, a huge key chain in the other, he spoke to the room, "I need to see Mr. Malfoy and family and Miss Davis and family in the office please." They followed him into the office, Harry stopped at the door with Tracey, "Do you want me to come in with you?" Tracey wiped her face and stood up straight, "I do want you too. But I don't think it's allowed. Old Magic families have certain ceremonies for this kind of thing you aren't allowed to observe." Harry stepped back, "I see." Tracey gave him a kiss on the cheek, "You had better go home Harry. Thank you for everything." Harry nodded silently and left.

The office was horribly dusty and smelled like mildew. It was oppressive, and Tracey wanted to run right out of the room the moment she stepped in. Nott Senior's presence was all over the old dank texts and books and it was oozing out of the bookcases and desk. Draco stood with both kids, his arms around them. Tracey took her place next to Arianna, but the girl stepped away from her slightly to move closer to Jules. Draco patted Tracey's shoulder reassuringly as the lawyer began, "This is rather straightforward, I mean, that's why they sent me and not the Senior Account Manager. Mr. Nott didn't own much except the Manor which he leaves for Draco Malfoy and family. With an exception, all books, potions, magical equipment, ingredients, paperwork, and… ahem, interesting," the lawyer pauses, "Uh, hmm, it looks like also, his wand is bequeathed to Arianna Davis."

Arianna's jaw hit the floor and tears stung her eyes. She quickly rubbed them away, "I don't want them!" Tracey moves to hug her and the girl stomps to the corner of the room. Tracey turns to the lawyer and asks, "Does it say anything else? Is there a note or anything else at all?"

The lawyer shuffles through the will and some other documents, "Yes. He says here, well actually it's a letter to Miss Arianna Davis," the lawyer holds it out for her. Draco tries to read it before Arianna runs over and snatches it away. She scans the words and shakes her head through tears while reading. When she's finished she hands it to Julien. He looks Arianna over, beseeching her with his eyes only, to please not make him read this thing, please. She hands it to him roughly, "go on and read it out loud."

Julien clears his throat and reluctantly starts:

_Dear Ari,_

_I want to say first off, I regret everything. I'm at peace with it all now, but I still regret so many things. My hatred of magic, I passed it on to you, and that is one thing I believe I can remedy. Take my families secrets and tomes and do with them as you see fit. Give some to Julien if you like, he would probably love some of the darker artifacts. Never forget that you are a witch, and a powerful one at that. It is who you are. Don't run from yourself like I did. No matter where you go in life remember that you're loved in this world and the next. I love you Ari. Forever._

_-Your Tio_

Tracey stares at Arianna. Julien furiously wipes tears from his eyes as Draco holds him. The lawyer breaks the silence in a calm voice, "Mr. Malfoy are you prepared to do the rights? I can witness for you…?" Draco lifts his head from atop Julien's, "Yes I'm aware of the ritual. You can go."

Later, Pansy and Anna take Julien and Arianna outside the house. Draco and Tracey stand at the front door with an abnormally large tome rested on a table between them. Tracey hands Draco a knife and says the words of transfer. The walls creak and moan, the fireplace extinguishes and a howl escapes from the house itself. Draco cuts his palm and places it into the warded wall marked with runes that were previously hidden from view. Tracey reads some of them to herself as her eyes widen. Draco mutters the last of the incantation and instantly the house swells and settles as he removes his hand. He wipes the blade and turns his hand to Tracey, she mutters a healing spell and cleans his hand of blood with a spare cloth. The house is now a Malfoy property. They embrace and hold each other for a long, long time.

* * *

**Tracey's flat next day**

Tracey laid in bed staring at the ceiling. Harry was in the kitchen banging around for breakfast. Arianna was in her room twiddling with Theo's wand and clutching his letter. She didn't sleep at all last night and it was evident. Her face was puffy and streaked with salt tracks. She put Theo's wand to her lips in contemplation and heard a loud bang that broke her ruminations. She padded out to the kitchen and stared at Harry Potter trying to make an ancient electric tea kettle work, it hasn't worked in years, he didn't know that though.

"That one doesn't work." Arianna says flatly walking over to the cupboards below where he is standing. She rummages around and finds a stovetop kettle, she hands it to him, "Here."

"Thanks," he says cautiously. Then he thinks, "If it doesn't work, why do you have it around?" Arianna shrugs at that, "I guess Mom doesn't like to let things go." Harry nods at that observation in agreement.

Arianna watches him make tea and toast. She points him in the right direction for the butter, "In the cupboard over there," and the honey, "it's in the fridge." Harry objects loudly, "You can't keep honey in the fridge. No way, I'm putting a stop to that right now." Arianna lets out a small laugh. Harry smiles at her, "How are you doing?" Arianna winces and looks away from him. Harry doesn't want to press her but, "You know, I'm here, if you ever want to talk or just go to the skate park or something. I can always take you, if you like." Arianna can feel fresh tears forming but she nods in agreement.

Tracey enters the kitchen and slowly approaches Arianna as if she's an injured animal and she doesn't want to scare her. Arianna immediately bolts upright and runs to her room slamming the door for good measure. Tracey stares after here for a beat and then moves to go to the distraught girl's room. Harry stops her gently, "Why don't I go? Let me try ok?" Tracey stares at Arianna's door but agrees to Harry's request with a soft nod.

Harry knocks on her door and announces its him. Arianna swings the door open, and promptly sits at her computer desk facing away from him. Harry takes a look around her room and it is quintessentially American Muggle. The computer desk with black leather chair has wheels and it swivels apparently. She has a laptop and a desktop plus many skateboarding stickers plastered on her bed, desk and laptop. Clothes just strewn about everywhere, it was a mess. No magic books, no magic trinkets, no quidditch paraphernalia., nothing witchy at all. The paint on the walls was a soft mossy green. "I like your room, a lot actually," he declares. She swivels around to him and motions that he can sit if he'd like. "I'm worried about you not sleeping, I know your Mother is too," he says, and she rolls her eyes at this.

"_I know she's worried, you don't have to tell me. I just need space from her right now."_

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you so angry with her?"

"_I don't know."_

"Do you think maybe you're taking it out on her? And that maybe she doesn't deserve that?"

"_She deserves that, and a lot more believe me."_

"What makes you say that?"

"_Merlin! With all the questions! You would know better than me Potter!"_

"Whatever has happened, in the past, we can't change it. We can only go forward and do the best…"

"_Blah, blah, blah. I'm aware. My Mom is a therapist I've heard it all before. Trust me."_

Harry thought on that for a moment. "You're right. You've heard it all, and I wouldn't know anything about losing friends and family, clearly you've got it sorted."

Arianna frowned at that and was a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I'm messed up. Tio was more than an Uncle, he was the only father I've ever known." Her words and free-flowing tears escaped through a completely raw and damaged throat. Harry moved to embrace her, and she fell into him. He petted her hair and said softly, "You'll always have him with you, the love you have for him it never goes away. And he loved you so much Arianna, so, so much."

"Ari," she says softly, "you can call me Ari."

* * *

**Malfoy townhouse – London - morning**

Julien was standing at the kitchen sink, wand in hand as he dried the dishes, his father Draco washing on the other side of him. A mindless task was just the sort of meditation they needed. It seemed they were past the point of tears and had entered the brooding and/or reflective stage of the Malfoy male grieving process.

Out of nowhere Julien broke the meditative silence, "What are you going to do with, with the Nott residence?"

Draco paused in his washing and thought for a moment before speaking, "Well, I thought we might keep it, for you and your future family, if you want it that is. We can just hold onto it until then. I think Theo would have liked that."

Julien nodded but he was curious, "why hadn't Theo been around lately, I mean in the last few years we hardly saw him. He was a constant for a couple years and then just gone, why? Is that why he did it? Did something happen to him? Could he have been cursed or what if someone was blackmailing him?"

His father stopped doing the dishes and looked in his son's eyes, "Theo Nott was not under duress or any other form of manipulation. He did what he did on his own, and it was his choice. He wasn't in his right mind of course, but still, he did it himself alone. Don't try to look for something that's not there Jules."

The black haired and dark eyed young wizard agreed to not press any more questions or theories. "I want to go see Mum," he said. Draco was taken aback but he probably shouldn't have been surprised, "Well you have school but, I'll see if we can't work it out. We'll work it out." Julien nodded and continued drying dishes. His father somberly continued the washing.

* * *

**Hermione's Tiny Flat – London**

After weeks of therapy, physical and emotional, Hermione was back into training. She was completely knackered after her first jog. She wouldn't ever dare call it a real run, there was much more walking than running. Every professional had told her to take it easy and not push. When has Hermione ever NOT pushed herself? Pushing herself to the limit was tantamount to breathing.

Laying on the couch in a complete sweat she was not in any state for company. So of course, Ginny comes walking thru the front door right at that moment. Hermione jumps up and runs past her, "Sorry got to shower!" Ginny shakes her head as the sticky brunette fly's past.

Before the water even gets warm she steps in and is enveloped in cold splatter and begins shivering. As it warms, she loosens up and closes her eyes against the waterfall. She can hear the door open, she grabs the soap in self-defense, "I'm almost out." Ginny replies, "No you're not, I'm coming in." Hermione lathers up and stares at the redhead, "I'm really almost done." Ginny takes the soap from her and tells her to turn around with a swish of her finger, "Let me help. And no, you're not almost done. Why are you avoiding me?"

Hermione scoffs, "I just saw you last night! I'm not avoiding you." Ginny scrubs her back in gentle circles and lets out a long sigh, "Is this about last night? You know, it's totally normal to be nervous, it's almost like being a virgin again in a way." The brunette laughs, "I'm not nervous... what are you even… I have loads of experience I'll have you know." The redhead raises her eyebrows and puts the soap back in the tray, "By the Gods old and new Hermione, if anything should be stress free, it's this. Us. It should be relaxed." Ginny places very delicate kisses all over the back of her neck and down her shoulder blades. She lets the water and her tongue caress her back gently. In between kisses Ginny asks, "Who knows you better than I do? Who do you know better than me? I can feel your bloody thoughts woman." She nips her shoulder at that last word. Hermione yelps, "I'm nervous because of all of that. I don't want to mess this up, I love you in a way that terrifies me." She leans her head against the shower wall as she admits her fears.

Ginny reaches around her and turns off the water. She steps out first and wraps a towel around her and then wraps up Hermione and leads her to the bedroom.

"You know what Hermione? I love you just as much, only it doesn't terrify me, do you know why?"

Hermione lays back against the bed looking up, she replies, "Why?"

"No matter how awkward you are, or how much you over-scrutinize, or how nervous you are," Ginny slowly removes her own towel, "I, your very wonderful best friend," she removes the towel from Hermione, "am right here for you. See? Easy."

There was nothing like Ginny's soft kisses along her jaw and neck, nothing like her wandering hands down her sides and on her breasts, nothing like the feeling of wrapping her hands in her ginger hair and pulling her down to her lips. Hermione wasn't nervous anymore, and she laughed a full raucous laugh for the first time in months.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

**Malfoy Manor – February (weeks after the funeral)**

Early February and the air was set with a rigid chill, especially around the cold gray walls of Malfoy Manor. It was icy instead of snowy and that only lent to the grayness of the world outside. Inside, however, it was bright and light. The Manor's enchanted windows depicted a perfect spring day, the birds could even be heard chirping. The whole of the home was ordained in cream, gold, and verdant green birthday decorations. Flowers and vines adorned the enchanted walls and black fixtures were scattered throughout. A DJ and a small dance troupe perform in the great hall. Other areas are set up for games and many children can be heard yelling and playing throughout.

It took some convincing of Jules' mother to let them host the party _again_ at Malfoy Manor instead of at her family estate in France. Too far for all the guests you see, much too much of an inconvenience. Narcissa had pulled the strong arm on ex Mrs. Malfoy though and Draco was grateful for it. It was hard for him to see his ex-wife just living her life in France without a care in the world all on his dime. The divorce hadn't been easy, after 5 years you'd think he'd have moved on, but he still felt drawn to his ex and his old life. He couldn't even say exactly what it was, maybe just the ease of it all. Did he ever love her? No, but they didn't hate each other. She was the mother of his child and for that alone he would always be tied to her.

Julien was 12 years old today, where had the time gone? Draco made his way around the entire house observing every guest and popping into some conversations here and there. He made sure his ex was on the opposite side of every room he was in just in case she didn't want to be near him. He tried to keep a safe distance for the sake of their mercifully peaceful co-parenting routine.

The guest list was sort of like a Hogwarts class of 98/99/00's spawns' reunion. He was surprised that Julien wanted to invite so many friends from so many different houses. It was very diplomatic of the lad and Draco was proud of him. He took a rest on a small loveseat that had been pushed up against a wall and as he scanned the room he spotted Tracey and waved her over. She sat next to him and cast a silencing charm right away. "Do you need privacy for some reason Trace?" Draco says with an eyebrow waggle. Tracey ignores his tease and replies, "I just like the silence, and the company of course."

They sit for a time in silence. It's the first time they've seen each other since the funeral and Tracey still feels a lump in her throat when she looks at Draco, she's guessing it's the same for him. He was even more alone now. Draco had his mother, his son, and that was really it. Tracey, Pansy and Arianna were almost family, but they weren't involved in each other's lives the same way they once were. Tracey rested her head against Draco's shoulder and whispered to him, "I'm here for you, you know. Whenever you need anything." Draco leaned against her and whispered back, "I know."

Tracey stared straight ahead when she made her confession, "I'm going to do the DNA test for Arianna and Harry, for paternity." Draco tensed up a little but didn't interrupt her as she continued, "He doesn't want the test. He wants to move forward without any baggage from the past. I'm doing it anyway."

Draco furrowed his brow at the top of her head, "Are you mad? He will find out you know."

"_I want him to find out."_

"Then why not just be honest? Why lie even more?"

"_Because he's made his feelings clear."_

"Then you should respect them. Merlin, I can't believe you're making me defend the boy-who-annoys. Please don't make me keep going? You will destroy what you've been building, you are making a mistake, just forget it."

"_Arianna won't speak to me Draco. She wants the test. I think she's getting attached to him and she wants it to be him. If I don't do it, she'll hate me forever."_

"Are all women professionals at dramatics and theatrics? What is this woe is me piffle? She will talk to you. You are her mother. She has no choice. She's not even 12 yet!"

"_But soon she'll be gone, we only have a few formative years left to help guide them and then…"_

"No. You never stop guiding them. You don't know, understandably, but as long as your parents are alive," he swallowed, "I'm sorry, but as long as they're around, they will always guide their children. No matter how grown they are. My mother never stops pestering, you've seen her."

Tracey nodded thoughtfully. "It's too late. I've already done the test."

Draco was so shocked he sat up and turned her around to face him grabbing both her shoulders with force and shaking her slightly, "And what did it say? Trace?"

* * *

Well Ginny was caught in an awkward situation here. First off, just being at Malfoy Manor was, wow, it was weird. Second, Julien Malfoy had been bullying her kid James for months and now all of a sudden, they were playing exploding snap together, and... are they laughing? This was all too much. Ginny noticed Arianna wasn't playing with the boys, she's just kind of hanging back and staring at the wall. It's the 100-yard stare and Ginny knew it well. It's hard not to want to just give the girl a hug even though she doesn't even know her really.

The party was fantastic though she had to admit. She should go find Malfoy and thank him for even having them. Ginny wanders the rooms, content that James won't get into trouble if she just does a quick round to find Malfoy. She finds him quickly as he's sitting on a sofa with Tracey Davis. They seem to be in a very cozy conversation. Ginny decides to just hang back and wait for them to part so she can address Malfoy without the awkwardness of also having to make small talk with Doctor Davis. Not that it should be that awkward from everything Hermione and her had observed about Tracey she's a very kind and inviting person. It was weird how closely their lives had gotten in such a short span when they didn't even know each other that well. She was a bit of a mystery to Ginny. It made her want to snoop, truth be told.

She wasn't exactly made for snooping though considering she had the brightest hair in the room and she had no cover since the room had been cleared for mingling. Awkwardly standing alone diagonal from the two friends would have to do. Draco leaned forward abruptly causing Ginny to gasp as he grabbed Tracey forcefully, Tracey looked to be upset, Ginny walked fast toward them, slowing when she was in spitting distance, she felt a charm tingle over her skin, strange, "Hi! Malfoy this party is great! Hello Tracey, nice to see you." They both look at her like she's grown horns. Malfoy let go of Tracey and calmly gets up to greet Ginny, "Weasley, or is it still Potter? I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, do try the canapes. If you'll excuse me." He turns on his heel to leave. Tracey gets up to go after him, but Ginny stops her.

"Hey, Tracey, best let him cool off yeah?" she stares at the concerned woman who is clearly distressed. Tracey replies calmly, "I suppose I can catch him later. Ginny how is James doing at school? He and Arianna seem to be getting along." Ginny is grateful for the change in topic, no matter how clunky, "Yes. They get along splendidly. So funny that your daughter is a Gryffindor." Dr. Davis responds smoothly, "Well, it was a pleasant surprise actually. No matter what house she's in it doesn't really matter in the end, does it?" Ginny nods thoughtfully at that.

* * *

Malfoy makes his way to where Julien, James and Arianna are playing exploding snap. He's come looking for Arianna, although he didn't want to intrude, it looked like she was just getting into the game with Jules. "ARI! You can't just wait for the card you want you have to go for it! Just hit it!" Jules is laughing and shouting at his friend as she struggles to quickly tap away at the cards. Draco had never seen a witch so hesitant to use magic, even in a simple game. Arianna huffs at the last draw, she throws her wand across the room and pushes past Draco to make her escape. Jules runs after her, but his father stops him, "Let me talk to her, I'll get her back. You just grab her wand and keep playing alright?" Jules bites his lip but nods in the affirmative and turns back to James and some other friends.

Draco runs to catch Arianna, she's walking toward the back door which leads to the gardens. Skateboard in hand. What does she think she's going to do with that? Its icy and wet out there. Draco catches her outside and grabs her wrist just as she drops the board. "You can't use that out here in these conditions. You'll break your neck and then your Mother will break _my_ neck and then, well you can see how that would affect the whole mood of the party, yeah?" Arianna breathes in and out very deep, she closes her eyes, "I'm trying not to yell at you right now," she says through gritted teeth. Draco stifles a laugh with the back of his hand, "I can take it Ari, believe me I've had worse." Arianna throws him her best scolding look and Draco hushes her with a pinch on her nose. She rolls her eyes at him.

"I wanted to talk to you Ari. About your Dad." Draco knew to tread carefully, Ari was listening and curious, he continued, "Your Mother and Potter are getting closer, he's going to be a part of your life, and you should know…" Draco hesitated, Arianna was holding her breath at this point. The older wizard pressed his lips together in thought and said, "I think what I mean to say is, I'm here for you. No matter what happens, no matter who your father is, I am here for you. You should never trust anyone who tells you that you can trust them, but I hope that I am someone who is worthy of your trust." Arianna nods furiously, "Draco, you're family to me, you and Jules. I love you both, honestly, I'd never choose some random guy over you or your family." Draco smiles at her, "It's nice of you to say that, but things do change when it comes to matters of blood. Potter is fierce about his family, he would do anything to protect them. He's also," Draco really didn't know how much he should divulge, he trusted Ari, but she was still a girl, "he's a bit impulsive. So, just be aware of that." He tried to make his last sentence draw out with heavy importance, the young girl furiously picked her lips and furrowed her brow, "He's not trustworthy, is he?" Draco breathed in deep, "Well I think that entirely depends on the situation, and I'm not trying to interfere in your relationship with him, merely advising caution, yes?" She gave a smirk at that and Draco embraced her in a hug.

* * *

After the party had ended Jules floo'd back to his mother's house in France. Draco tried to convince him to stay at the Manor but the boy had insisted on seeing his Mother home safe and having a quiet evening with her.

Jules' Mother had a haunted look about her when she sat down to dinner with her son. He was used to it though. She wasn't a warm and embracing kind of person. She wasn't cold, just functional. Jules was recounting his favorite parts of the party and she merely nodded and stared off in the distance. What the boy didn't see was how hard she swallowed every bite of food, how her chest constricted at the sound of his voice, and how when he tried to give her a hug goodnight flashes of pain tore through her spine and made her lip shiver. She tried her best to hide it from him, but he was the spitting image of his father and it made her queasy.

The 12-year-old plopped down on his bed. He flung the window open with a wandless wave of magic and opened his laptop. He had a muggle DNA ancestry site open, Ari had showed it to him earlier that day. He was curious, so he wanted to poke around and see if wizard DNA could be tested at any muggle facility. He was surprised how difficult it was to get any information online about wizard genetics and ancestry. Regardless, it seemed that anyone could send in any sample for a price and determine paternity. He ordered a testing kit in a few clicks.

* * *

**Tracey's Private Office – London – Monday**

Hermione was waiting in the hallway outside a locked office door. The rush of energy she had been riding after this morning's run was starting to wear off and she really wanted to lay down and eat ten croissants. When Tracey arrived, she tried not to look too frazzled, she held up her hand to signal to Hermione that she needed 5 minutes before letting her in. The short brunette blows her hair out of her face in acquiescence.

When they finally sit down the patient assesses the doctor and waits in silence. Hermione drinks some water and Tracey begins, "How was your weekend?" Thinking a moment, the patient responds, "It was boring. Ginny had to take James to a party, well you know you were there, and well I'm not... I don't want to talk about it."

Tracey assesses Hermione's stature, which is slightly slumped, "You can say anything you want to in here Hermione. I thought that would be clear by now, we've been at this for some time."

Hermione scoots down on the couch to lay down and hides her face in her hands, "We finally had sex. OK? Alright? That's what happened this past weekend and, it was," her smile widens, and her heart skips a beat, "it was the best day and night of my life. I can't believe I'm saying this out loud."

"You don't have to say anything else if you're not comfortable. Is there a reason you're not comfortable? We can talk about that?" Tracey scribbled something in her notepad.

Letting her eyes peek out from behind her hands Hermione stares up at the ceiling as she contemplated it. Why was she embarrassed? Because this was private, and she wasn't one to talk about sex in general, perhaps. Maybe it had more to do with the fact that she was newly gay, and she felt awkward. She decides that might be worthy of conversation. They talk about how she can adjust to her new life and maybe find support in a new community, if she's open to that and how that would work.

"Do I have to 'come out' to my business associates? I don't even know how to label myself or if I even want too."

"_You don't have to 'come out' at all, actually. Not everyone does a big announcement. Some people have private conversations, one on one with certain individuals. Others say nothing at all."_

"Saying nothing at all feels like lying."

"_If it feels that way to you then you might want to have those conversations. You can just take it case by case."_

"I've told everyone closest to me and I just _expected_ that the word would spread. I don't want to have to make some grand announcement that would be... It's just not my style I guess."

"_You are a public figure though, so it is something to consider. You're not hiding who you are Hermione, but others' perception of you is going to change, there's no way around that."_

Hermione considers her words very carefully and knows she will have to think long and hard about how to approach this. She will also have to consult Ginny and see how she feels about it all. They were really doing this, they were serious, this was real. The full weight was hitting her now. Tracey moved across the room to sit next to her, "I'm here whenever you need. You can always call, you're not alone, you have lots of support."

* * *

Malfoy was waiting in the outer hallway when Hermione threw the door open. He faltered for a moment, "Hello Granger, fancy meeting you here." Hermione gives him a sideways look, "Mr. Malfoy, nice to see you." He can't help himself, "Is it _nice_ to see me?" Hermione doesn't have time for this, "Malfoy, is there something you wish to say? I have places to be." The tall blonde wizard considers this, should he say something to her about Harry and Tracey, at least if she tells Potter than he will be well away from any fallout.

"Actually, it's a bit of a sensitive topic. Can you handle it with care and caution? That is my primary concern." Draco is speaking to her but really to himself.

The bushy haired brunette grabs her foot in an attempt to stretch out her leg and waits for whatever nonsense he's about to unload. Draco wrinkles his nose at her strange display, "I think Tracey might be doing something that would jeopardize her relationship with your golden leader. I wonder if you would pass it along to him?"

She stops and thinks for a moment, something about Harry then, very interesting. "I'll pass it on if I think it's important." He beckons her to follow him a little further down the hall, "I'm going in there to try and convince her to forget about all this, but she's set on it you see. Tracey is doing a paternity test behind Potter's back."

This makes Hermione gasp, "Why wouldn't she tell him? I'm sure he'd want to know."

Draco waves his finger, "There's the rub, he says he doesn't want it. He asked her not to do one, apparently. I'm fuzzy on the details."

"You can't be fuzzy on the details Malfoy." Hermione says thru gritted teeth, "We need the details to- No, on second thought, it's not our business."

Malfoy shrugs, "It might not be, but I still think he should know, and no, I don't want to be the one to tell him. We aren't friends after all."

Hermione nods and says, "Thank you for telling me, I don't think I'll do anything with the information but I'm not sure. Are you going to talk to her now? Maybe if you convince her not to it won't matter anyway."

"I'll contact you and let you know." Draco says.

At this Hermione gets suspicious. Was this just a way for him to stay in contact with her on a personal level? She narrows her eyes, "You know Draco, I'm sort of seeing someone. I didn't say anything before because I didn't know how to say it and well, I've tried to express that I'm not interested in you, in that way and well, it's really just-" Draco waves his hands in her face, "Hermione! I'm not that into you. It's fine. Your private life is your business. You're seeing someone, you're happy, that's really all I need to know." Hermione smiled at him, "Thanks. I'll see you around." With that they parted ways.


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Note: I'm still here somehow! Are you?

Chapter 15:

**Ministry of Magic – London – Tuesday**

Having to make an appointment to see one's best friends was the apex of adulthood. Everything was scheduled within an inch of its existence once people had careers and families. Having to wait for them in a waiting area designated for those awaiting some stage of criminal investigation procedures was, well, it was not fun. Thankfully for Hermione a bright red bolt of wizard went flaming past a rounded corner, she gathered her possessions and flew past the many desks of onlookers to catch up with the man, "Ron!" He turned and slowed his pace, "Hermione! What are you doing here?" They catch up to one another and she awkwardly reaches out a hand for a shake, he pulls her into a half hug, the witch replies, "I'm here to see Harry." Ron nods and bites his lip, "Well he's not here at the moment." Hermione scoffs, "Where is he?" Ron leads her down the hall to Harry's office, "I can't tell you, but you can wait in here with me till he gets back. I need to get away from my office for a minute anyway."

They end up talking for about an hour. It was good for them to catch up separate from the crowd that usually surrounded them. When Harry came through the door, he was dressed down in muggle clothes and carrying his robes which looked like they had been dunked in a bucket of slime and quickly rinsed off. They were still wet and splotched with a strange green substance. Harry threw the robes on the ground and sat at his desk opening up many drawers and grimacing ignoring the two of them.

Ron and Hermione just stared at him, waiting till he acknowledged their presence. Once Harry found a spare robe in one of his drawers he stood up and put it on over his head, then upon sitting he said, "Right, sorry. Hello. What can I do for you?" He leaned down to open a secret compartment and pulled out a small bottle of ink and some parchment. Hermione watched it all in fascination, Ron leaned down to her as she was sitting, and leaned against Harry's desk; he whispered to her, "Hermione, do you need me to leave you two alone?" Hermione shook her head, "No you can stay."

The head auror began writing with a very small quill, carefully dipping into the ink pot, but when he writes no words appear on the parchment. Invisible and enchanted ink most likely, Hermione surmises. She addresses Harry, "Maybe we should come back." Harry holds up his free hand, "No need. I'm here now, you're here now. Go ahead." Ron shrugs at Hermione's scrunched up face. She's concerned for Harry, and also wonders if it's even worth bothering him with something like this, after all it's an unverified rumor. She's not usually one to gossip, but she also has a strong need to root out the truth of things. The two sides were warring in her head right now. Ron stared at the witch with concern, "Is it serious?"

How should she respond to that? "It might be, but also it might be nothing." Hermione waves her hand in front of Harry's face, he responds by putting the quill carefully down in its case, "I'm all ears, truly." She sighs and tells him the story. "So basically," she continues, "I'm not sure if I should have even said anything, because she might have already done it, and she might not have at all. Also, it's really not my business and I told Draco as much when he discussed it with me. I don't wish to pry into your life Harry, although I am concerned, clearly." Ron was now sitting in a conjured chair in the back corner of the office contemplating. Hermione sat forward slightly trying to gauge Harry's reaction.

"Right," Harry slaps his hands together, "is that all?"

Hermione's mouth drops, "Is that all? Yes, I suppose it is. Harry do you want to talk about this? How are you feeling?"

"No, I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to discuss my feelings about it because I don't really have any." Harry says casually.

Ron perks his head up, "You knew she would do this?"

Harry blinks hard, "I can't predict what people are going to do. I didn't tell her not to do it, I just said I didn't _need_ it, that it wasn't important."

Ron looks very confused, "Why wouldn't you want it? Harry, do you want to tell us the whole story here?"

"Yes, Harry," Hermione butts in, "what is the whole story?"

Harry sighs, "I'm not in possession of the entire story, but once I figure it out…" He pauses at this and thinks back, "Malfoy. He knows more at this point." Hermione leans back, and Ron stands up, "Well I'm coming with you!" Hermione laughs, "This isn't a mission, it's Harry's life." Harry shakes his head, "It's all the same ultimately isn't it?"

* * *

**Harry's very tiny flat – London – Summer 2000**

_The flat was in complete shambles. He had gone through every scrap of paper, every love note, every photograph, and he'd searched Tracey's family home bringing back as much as he could salvage. A lot of it was burnt, the house itself was locked up tight and empty. He brought all of it back to the flat and kept everything of any interest in a box. Now he had to decide what to do with the box. It'd been three days since Tracey had gone missing. He'd reported her missing with the Ministry and filled out all the paperwork, he'd missed his first day of Auror training retracing her steps the day before she disappeared._

_Harry was a complete mess, he hadn't showered or eaten anything in those three days. He contacted Hermione and she was packing up her London flat and moving to Italy. She said she would help but, where was she? Ron was in training as well, for the MLE and he said he'd be by in the evenings, but he was hesitant. Really what could either of them do that he hadn't done already? He could interview everyone at the Real Estate company and the Charity and all her friends, that was the next step, right? Who was she friends with? Who was she closest too? Me, Harry thought to himself, I was her best friend, wasn't I?_

_Knock knock_

_Harry shot up and opened the door. Just two years ago, he would have never believed that Draco Malfoy would be standing at his front door, but here he was. The tall young man took two strides in from the door and was already in the middle of the room. Draco's look of disgust was not hidden in the slightest. Harry was in no mood for him, "What? What are you doing here?" Draco brushed off his sleeves and pulled a letter out of his robe, Harry went for his wand at the movement and Draco scoffed, "Please Potter, I wouldn't waste the effort. I have a note for you." He handed the note to the bedraggled young man and waited for him to finish reading it. _

_The questions spinning in Harry's mind were endless, but he really only cared about one thing, "Where is she?" Draco was immune to his scathing tone, "I don't know where she is Potter, but I know she wants nothing to do with you. It's all in the note." Draco walks for the door but Harry steps in his path, "So help me Merlin, Draco I will end you if you've hurt her." Draco is rightfully offended, "Hurt her? You can't be serious. We're friends Potter, I don't hurt my friends, unlike some people. She asked me to deliver a message, and I did." Harry wasn't satisfied, he grabbed Draco's robes, "You will tell me where she is." Draco pulled free of his grip, "Is that a threat? Listen, Potter, I'm going to give you the best advice you'll ever get in this life: move on. It's over."_

* * *

**Former Nott Residence – Tuesday night**

Moving all the magical items out of the Nott residence had been a bit more hands on than Draco had wanted. It seemed that hiring competent help to move dark artifacts was not easy as you'd think. After the few workers he had found had finished boxing up most of the potion's ingredients, Mr. Malfoy took it upon himself to catalog and collect Nott Senior's personal library. This was going to be anything but fun. He had come prepared with a spare wand and a mix of healing potions just in case. He also had his father's index of dark magic reversal spells on hand, very neatly displayed on a little computer device that Ari and Jules had helped him set-up. Computers were a pain to deal with but this little 'tablet' as they call them was pretty easy to use, even Draco had to admit it was handy.

The house was so still and silent that the moment he heard the fireplace spark from all the way across the house, he knew, he could feel, that he wasn't alone. He took a defensive position against the backside of the entrance to the library, wand in hand, he blasts a wordless warning shot in front of the intruder's nose. The streak of red didn't hit the target, which was intended, although if he had known the target was Harry forsaken Potter he may have aimed true.

The Auror doesn't even blink, his wand casually raised, eyebrows up quizzically, "Expecting trouble Draco?" Draco puts his wand away and walks back over to his spot of the library sorting through books, "I wasn't expecting anyone, and I'm not even going to bother asking how you broke through the wards. I'll just change them when you leave." He looked up and smiled at the worn-out looking wizard.

Harry moves to the desk at the opposite side of the library and moves the chair from behind it, dragging it across the floor to the right of where Malfoy stands. Malfoy protests the dragging furniture, "You couldn't have just levitated it? Merlin, Potter, you're going to wreck the floor!" Harry plops down in the chair and levitates a foot stool in front of him and puts his feet up on it. Harry says, "Draco," Malfoy cuts him off, "Yes, Harry?" Draco leans down to look in the man's face trying to get a read on him. From the look of it he's pissed but trying to act casual, being delicate is not on the menu tonight for either of them, it seems.

"Hermione came to me and told me about your little conversation." Blasted Hermione! She wasn't supposed to tell him it came from me, Draco thought he'd have to have a talk with her. He wouldn't stoop to Potter's level, he'd be holding the upper hand in this exchange, "Did she? Well that was the point of the whole conversation, for you to know what was going on. Now you do. So why are you here?"

Harry picked up a book off the ground and started to thumb through it, "I want to know why you can't keep your nose out of mine and Tracey's business. I want to know why you feel the need to constantly butt in where you're not needed or wanted. I want to know what you have to do with any of it, with all of it."

Draco said nothing. Harry waited while reading the dark text in his hands, some kind of potions experiments journal from the 16th century or thereabouts. After several minutes of silence, he cleared his throat. Draco rolled his eyes and threw down a few texts at the box to his left, "Look, I don't know what you want me to say. I can't tell you anything more than what I've already told you. I shouldn't have even divulged that much! If I had known that Theo was going to go and be so, so bloody stupid! I wouldn't have said anything to you at all!" Draco had lost his cool, but he was mostly just angry with himself. There went any upper hand he may have had.

"Did it ever occur to you," Harry looked up at him, "that I could HELP you? That I am just the sort of person that you would WANT to have on your side? I have been fighting death eaters my entire life! I know more about Voldemort than you can ever fathom, and-" Draco cut him off with a swish of his hand and a nonverbal silence charm, "Please don't start 'the-boy-who-lived' tirade, ok? Save it for someone who wasn't there."

Harry waved his hand and broke the spell, "I can go through the courts, and force it out of you in the Ministry interrogation rooms." Draco scoffs, "Everyone involved is dead Potter. It was just Nott Senior and Nott Junior, they were the only ones 'involved' as you so put it."

Harry's jaw nearly dropped; he hadn't even considered that Draco wouldn't know anything about the depth of the conspiracy they were unwittingly apart of. Draco didn't know the half of it. The Nott's were responsible clearly, but whatever happened to Tracey was a different beast all together, literally. "I can't believe I never considered-" Harry put his hands on his knees, he started to chuckle to himself, the wheels kept turning as Draco stared at him, Harry kept his own counsel. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you Draco." Harry went to leave, and Draco ran after him, "Wait, what? Are you leaving then?" Harry turned to face him, Draco was taller by far, but Harry had more presence in that moment, the air was thick around them as the Auror spoke, "You don't know anything. Were you even here when Nott Senior died?" Draco looked down at the floor. Harry continued, "That's what I thought."

* * *

Harry runs down the hall toward the fireplace, he sends out a small purple spark as he runs, Ron appears suddenly at his side a trail of purple lighting his chest. He's holding a few small packages and a wand covered in dirt, "Did you get everything? What about the potion room?" Harry asked. Ron huffed along to keep up, "I got what I could, but no joy on potions, did you get anything?" Harry stepped into the fireplace, "I got enough." Both men floo away in quick succession.

* * *

**Malfoy Manor – Wednesday afternoon**

Narcissa Malfoy was pacing around her foyer, this was an uncommon occurrence. The house elves were frantic. They had no idea what had the lady of the house in such a state. If one were to look down on the scene however, you may not even notice anything out of the ordinary, just a woman in fine silken silver robes pacing in her home's entryway. Narcissa Malfoy was made of stone, her face was smooth and emotionless, but her teeth were clenched tight and her fists were nearly balled up. She breathed in deep and shook out her hands, a small house elf shrieked at the sight and apparated away to the safety of their hovel.

Why would the MLE need to interview her for anything? She had done nothing of any suspicion for a decade. Surely, they had better things to do with their time than bother her? Weren't there real criminals out there? She couldn't deny them a casual interview though, oh no. That would be suspect in and of itself. No, much better to keep it casual and not involve anyone else. No lawyers, no Draco, just a very short chat. If only she knew what they would be chatting about, so she could better prepare herself. Maybe it's not too late to call a lawyer.

Ron Weasley stepped thru the fireplace at that moment and quickly cast a spell to clean up his robes, he wiped his face with a cloth and placed wand and cloth back inside his robes. Narcissa greets the man, "Mr. Weasley, please join me in the sitting room. May I get you anything? Tea?" Ron shakes his head, "Not necessary." He sits down and Narcissa follows suit sitting across from him, a small table rests between them noticeably empty of refreshments.

He wastes no time and gets right to it, "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I wonder if you can tell me about the Longbottom Charity event on Saturday the fifth of August of the year 2000?"

Narcissa's jaw drops only a fraction, she very carefully forces her jaw and neck muscles to relax and takes a moment to gather her thoughts, "Pardon me, Mr. Weasley, that was more than ten years ago, I'm not even sure I attended such an event, much less what occurred if I did attend."

Ron pulls up a long piece of parchment, "This is you at the top right here yes?" He points to her name on a list of attendees and organizers, Narcissa nods. She looks toward the fireplace, trying to remember the event from so long ago. Narcissa starts to speak, "I'm not sure," Ron rubs his eyes in frustration, "Look, you're not in trouble, no one in your family is in trouble, we simply want to know who was there and what the event was like, anything strange happen, things like that. Anything at all will help Madam."

The silver haired woman shakes her head, "I'm sorry, Mr. Weasley, I have no recollection of that day at all, it's as if-"

"Madam, may I please use legilemency to search for the memory or the," Ron hesitates, "or the gap in your memory for this particular day?"

Narcissa places her delicate hand up to her mouth and shakes her head, "No, I'm afraid not Mr. Weasley. You," She put her hand down and looked at him straight on, "you would need a summons or some sort of court order for that. I'm afraid I'll need to ask you to leave and please contact my lawyer if you need anything further."

Ron smacked his lips and shot up out of his seat mumbling to himself the whole way to the fireplace, "Mrs. Malfoy, you're not the only one whose lost that particular day. If you change your mind please contact me, directly." With that he throws the floo powder into the fireplace and disappears.

* * *

**Hogwarts – Wednesday afternoon**

Sitting in Professor Longbottom's tiny office at Hogwarts, Harry was taken back in time during their reminiscing as they shared many laughs over sneaky nips of firewhiskey. Neville can't help but think he hadn't laughed like this in too long.

The slightly chubby professor slams his hand on his desk, "It was NOT Luna who did that!? Never, never, no way!"

The disheveled looking Harry walks around the small room and shrugs in Neville's direction, "I'm not saying anything that hasn't been said by a hundred eyewitnesses. She was stark nude during the blood moon, mind you, of course, I didn't witness it," Neville shakes his head, "No of course you didn't. You were much too busy during seventh year as I recall."

Harry sees the opportunity for a smooth transition and takes it, "Seventh year, yeah, it was a good time all things considered. That summer was pretty amazing. Where were you that summer? The Summer of 2000 after school was all done?"

Neville leans back in his chair, "Well, I was at home mostly. Went to Paris for a bit for Malfoy's wedding, I was trying to decide what to do with my life and Gran was practically pushing me out every day. She wanted me to make something of myself. I suppose I did alright." The professor takes a drink and smiles warmly. Harry continues, "Do you remember a little charity event your Gran hosted back then? Something to do with War Orphans?"

Neville scratches his face and thinks, "Oh! Yes! I remember it. Tracey Davis was helping Gran organize the event and then she just never showed up. Well, at least that's what Gran said. I wasn't there though, I never stayed around for those sorts of events, ghastly they are."

Harry let out a small sigh and sat across the desk from his old friend, "Neville, could you show me?" Harry pulled his wand out and pointed it to his own head, "Do you mind? It's for an investigation." Neville nods and sets his mind back to the day in question. Harry collects the memory in a waiting glass vial. He secures it and places it inside his robes.

The two friends say their farewells and embrace warmly. Neville was sad to see him go.

Heading down the hall Harry makes his way to the Gryffindor dorms. He's hoping the rooms will be empty, so he can leave a small package for Arianna without being noticed. Her birthday isn't for a few more days but he just wanted to surprise her with something. They were writing to each other on a semi-frequent basis, more than James now that he thought on it. He was making progress in his relationship with his daughter, that's how he thought of her now he realized. His daughter, that he hadn't even known he had. Was it foolish to get so attached so soon? Most likely it was, but his heart told him otherwise. She needed him in her life no matter who her biological father was.

The rooms were blessedly empty, and Harry left the package on the girl's bed with no problem. It wasn't hard to figure out which was hers, it was the only one with muggle headphones and other assorted paraphernalia on and around it. Walking out of the dorms and down the halls, he thought he might make one more stop to the memorials and pay his respects before heading back to the office to check in with Ron.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

**Tracey Davis Flat – London – Friday night**

Furiously typing at her makeshift desk Tracey's glasses slipped all the way down her nose as the tapping sound of the keys rang out louder and louder, she looked a bit cartoonish in her haste. She had to get this done before Harry arrived. The finish line was in sight, her bottom lip was so chewed up it split open. She closed the laptop with a flourish and ran to her bathroom to brush teeth and wash face and try to be somewhat presentable.

The fireplace sparked, and Harry stepped out into the familiar living room. He noticed Tracey's desk was a complete disaster and the house was in chaos. He decided to sit on the sofa and relax for a minute before Tracey emerged from wherever she was. He just wanted to stop and think for a minute. He laid his head back on the couch he closed his eyes and thought of the case.

Things he knew for sure: Draco wasn't involved in the attacks and didn't know the extent of them. No one at the charity event had any memory of the day which meant that a large scale obliviation or memory-altering charm had occurred, either on purpose or on accident he wasn't sure yet. Nott Senior had attacked Pansy and Anna but it's unclear if he attacked anyone else. The other attacker, or attackers, were not identified and could still be at large. The number of victims is more like 12 instead of 3, as Malfoy and Nott Junior had assumed. Theo Nott had died from guilt so heavy it was a wonder he lived as long as he did; he killed his father after discovering the extent of his betrayal. It seems that Theo had taken on the investigation solo after some years in America, what lead him down that path is unclear, but his breadcrumbs had been easy for Harry to track. That's how he discovered the other victims, and none of them, at least so far as he could gather, had borne any children as a result. Actually, some of them were unable to have children at all much like Anna because of what had happened.

What about Tracey? As far as he could gather, she was one of the first victims. Other than that, he didn't know anything about what happened to her. He had collected the memories of a handful of victims, but they were so unreliable. Scarred by trauma and some kind of confounding dark magic spell, the face of the attacker, even the details of the surroundings within the memory were unclear. Since Tracey had been one of the first it stands to reason they may not have performed such spells on her memory. She might have a clearer picture buried in her head. He wanted that picture. How would he convince her that this investigation was necessary? That they needed to dig into the past one more time to finally lay it to rest?

Tracey sat down next to him and tossed her legs over his lap leaning her back against the edge of the couch and smiling at him as he slowly opened his eyes, "Hello there, a knut for your thoughts?" she says. Whilst languidly stroking her feet Harry answers, "It's been a hard week. I'm just trying to process everything." She nods in understanding, "Yes. It has been a week. Arianna's birthday is coming up too and I am so not prepared." Harry smiles at her, "I may have already gotten her something." He braces for impact, but Tracey just lets out a groan, "Of course you have. I don't know how you find time for everything. I'm like a chicken with my head cut off over here." Harry laughs at the saying, "Is that something you picked up in America? Are people often cutting chickens heads off?" Tracey laughed and gave him a chaste kiss.

They decide to watch a movie they've both seen several times so that they can talk during it about work, and life in general. They are now cuddled up close on the couch and Tracey is absentmindedly rubbing Harry's shoulders. Once the credits roll Tracey whispers into Harry's ear as her hands make their way down his back rubbing intensely, "Your very tense Sir Potter. Are you stressed about something?"

His mind is flooded with all the stress of the investigation and it does cause his muscles to tense under her touch. He turns away from her, and in the dim room he looks at her sternly, "My investigation, well, I was trying not to bring you into it at all. But Tracey, I'm up against a wall here."

Tracey pulls away from him even further, "What are you working on?"

"I should have told you right away, I didn't want to upset you," Harry tries to explain. Tracey interrupts him, "You're investigating my assault? After we said we wouldn't delve into the past anymore, you're dragging it all back up into the daylight?"

"This is bigger than just you," Harry began, and Tracey scoffed at him as he talked, "I have to follow it to wherever it leads, and I need your help."

Tracey breathes out in exasperation and says, "We can't lie to each other anymore Harry. We can't start our lives together this way."

Harry stares ahead nodding and says, "I agree. That's why I need your memories'

Tracey was flabbergasted, "How could you possibly ask for that?"

Harry kept his face calm and his words strong and clear, "It's simple. You either trust me or you don't. You ran away and took my chance to get to know Arianna with you. I've never misled you or lied to you. I shouldn't have hidden this from you, and I won't hide anything I find from you, I swear it. This needs to be a two-way street. Can you trust me?"

Tracey shook her head in frustration. She was trying to change her life for the better and going backwards wouldn't do it. Although, as a therapist, she knew that keeping things buried didn't really work either. "I've lied to you in the past and run away, it's true. I'm trying to do better. I want to be better; don't you understand? I want to forget about all of it! You don't know what I was like back then and I don't want you to know. I trust you, but I'm also terrified of what you may see, or how you may see me if-"

Harry knelt down in front of her on the floor as she sat on the couch and held her gaze, never wavering, "Nothing can change what we have. Not decades apart, not oceans between us. I have never cared for anyone the way I do for you. Nothing I see in your memories can ever change that. I forgive you for everything in the past, I know you didn't ask for my forgiveness but it's yours. To truly bury this, we need to dig it up first and pull all the roots out, don't you see? I need your memories so that I can see the bigger picture." He told himself this was what she needed as well. It wasn't just about the investigation; it was about them as well wasn't it?

Tracey was hesitant. She thought in that moment that she really didn't trust him completely and she couldn't put her finger on why exactly. Tracey replies, "Why? What are you going to find that I wouldn't?"

Harry leans into her and gently strokes the sides of her arms as he says, "Your treatment blocks the emotional connection to your traumatic memories yeah? So, you haven't actually looked at them in what, years? And you wouldn't know what clues to look for… Please, you have to trust me. We need the whole truth Tracey. All of it."

Tracey whispers to him, "it's in your nature to seek out the truth and the light."

Harry leans forward to hold her, "I'll seek an end to it as well, once and for all."

She nods silently into his shoulder and throws her mind back to that day. Harry leans back and places his wand at her temple. They go through a few different memories and Harry saves them all. They are both physically and emotionally exhausted by the end of it, but also strangely optimistic. They head to the bedroom and silently settle in.

"Harry," Tracey is lying next to him in bed but looking up at the ceiling as she talks, he's on his side staring at her, "whatever you see, whatever you find, I don't want to know. I don't want you to lie to me, but I just don't want to know everything. Arianna she-" Harry squeezes her close, "She won't be told anything about any of this. I certainly would never do that to her, or to you. As far as I'm concerned, she's my daughter, no matter what." For the first time in a long time Tracey's tears were a mixture of happy and sad instead of just full on despair.

* * *

**Hogwarts – Saturday Study Hall**

Hidden behind a veritable wall of books Julien and Arianna scribble at scrolls and turn pages rapidly whilst rolling their eyes in disgust. The lengths of these scrolls, these essays, were the bane of their mutual existences. Arianna pulled her scroll taught and stood up sticking her tongue out as she guessed it's length. Jules stared at her, his quill feather dancing across his mouth absently, "It's not enough, almost there though." The dark-haired girl huffed and sat down letting her head fall all the way back against the chair, she lets out a terrible groan. Jules laughed at her, his dark eyes glittering, "We could just pop outside for a bit, it looks a bit warmer today." Ari lets out a very enthusiastic, "YES!" A murmur of shushing noises sound all around them as the two snuck out of the library, leaving their work at the table.

As the pair were headed out, they run into James looking sweaty and red-faced, he had obviously been enjoying the warm weather outside. James stopped Ari with his arm, "Hey! Did you finish your essay?" With Jules pulling on her arm to leave Ari responds, "I'll finish later."

Once they were outside Jules turns to face Ari walking backwards as she breathes in the fresh air, their pace unhurried, he says, "Why do you even talk to him?" The girl squints at her friend, "He's in my house, his Dad is dating my Mom. We're practically-" Jules stops suddenly in front of her "Don't even say it." She crosses her arms, "I thought you were getting along with him?"

Julien stares hard at her and says, "You think I'd make a scene in front of my father after everything? I tolerate him. Nothing more."

"Well," Arianna wasn't sure how to tell her best friend that James was her new friend, "he's nice to me. I don't know."

Jules shakes his head as if she's naïve, "He's dangerous Ari. Not to mention his father!"

At this Ari starts to lose her temper, "His father, what? He could be my Dad too you know. Will you stop hanging out with me again if he ends up being my brother?"

He's furiously shaking his head now, "No. He can't be, you're nothing like them!"

Arianna throws her hands up and says, "Don't you get it Jules? I'm not like ANY OF YOU PEOPLE!"

"Oh, here it is, you think you're so special because what? You're too cool for magic? I know the truth of it, you're scared." James stands back with his arms crossed in that haughty Malfoy way.

Arianna laughs heartily, "Oh! That's rich. I'm not afraid of ANYTHING."

"Except magic." Jules says with a smirk.

Arianna pushes him roughly onto the grass, Jules laughs at her as he gets up, he says, "You can't handle it, I understand. There's always life as a squib or a muggle dear Ari."

She sits down on the grass, her eyes start to sting with unshed tears, a lump in her throat she wants to say lots of things, but she doesn't want to appear weak. She must not be weak in front of him of all people, he had an uncanny ability to hurt her.

"I'll make you a bet." He says looking down on her with full blown amusement on his face, "I'll wager you do one powerful bit of magic, and if you can handle it, I'll never bring it up again, I promise." He holds his wand to his heart. Arianna looks at him sideways willing the tears back from the brink of falling, "I'm not afraid of anything, _Malfoy_."

* * *

**Ministry of Magic – Monday afternoon**

Walking down the halls a path is made for him and in its wake are many frightened looking witches and wizards. Harry had been snapping at people all day, even Ron was staying clear of him. His assistant had not returned from lunch having reached her limit with her grumpy boss. Every interrogation room was full. Senior Auror Potter walked the halls between rooms checking in on people and yelling at those in his way. His eyes were red rimmed, he hadn't slept much last night after going into the pensieve, he was haunted by it. He was also in charge of three official investigations right now in addition to his secret side project.

Enter stage left one very harried Draco Malfoy. He grabs Harry by the arm, not the best opening move. "I need to talk to you," Draco's eyes dart toward Harry's office, "now." Instead of yelling Harry simply walks into an unoccupied conference room down the hall and takes a seat. He says nothing as he looks Draco dead in the face. "Is this secure, Potter?" Draco asks as he pulls out his wand, Harry slams the door shut with wandless magic and casts a wordless binding spell on Malfoy. The blonde man screams so Harry wordlessly tapes his mouth shut and smacks his wand out of his hand in one motion. Harry sits back down in his chair and rubs his temples, "I'm going to give you 5 minutes Malfoy. I don't have time for you today and you are lucky to get even one moment of it. Do you understand? Give us a nod." Draco's eyes are burning with pain and annoyance, despite that he gives a small nod.

Harry casts off the tape binding his mouth but leaves his arms and legs tied. Draco spits, "Is this necessary? I came to you, I'm not a convict Potter!" Harry clicks his tongue and stares at him, he doesn't remove the bindings. Draco huffs, "Fine. Stay away from my family. Untie me now." Harry's face scrunches up at the man as he takes off his glasses to rub a smudge off them, "That's all you wanted to say?" Draco blows the fringe out of his eyes, "Do I have to say more than that? Your little sidekick scared my Mother in her home! Stay away!" Draco struggles against his bindings, "Merlin, what spell is this? Usually I can break out of your binds."

"I noticed that the last time we exchanged words, so I changed my incantation slightly." Harry flourished his wand and undid the bindings, he picked up Draco's wand and handed it back to him as he headed for the door. Draco put his hand out to stop him, "What's wrong with you? Are you," he regarded the wizard in front of him with worry, "are you alright?"

"Am I," Harry shook his head, "alright? Are you asking me as a friend?"

Draco considered this, "Well, we are friends, aren't we? Despite our best efforts to stay away from each other, you're dating my dearest friend and our paths are going to keep intersecting no matter what it seems." Harry was silent at that. He didn't really know how to respond.

"This investigation," Draco started but Harry interrupted him, "which one?" Draco rolled his eyes and moved away from the door, "You know which one. It's obviously getting to you. Maybe I can help you."

Harry regarded him curiously, "Is this because we questioned your mother? We meant no offense, Draco. We went to everyone who was at that event, none of them-" He stopped himself. The blonde moved closer to him, "None of them remembered, did they?" Draco smacked his head and then the table in the middle of the conference room. The tall blonde was pacing now. "Harry, Theo and I," he stopped himself for just a moment, but he decided it didn't matter at this point since Harry was so involved, he might actually be able to figure this mystery out, and Draco was not so secretly dying to know the details. "Theo and I we recovered some memories from Pansy and Anna. We viewed them," Harry nodded along as if he already knew all this, Draco continued, "and then they disappeared. The memories physically disappeared, and our recollections were tainted, or altered. Someone close to us had known and had tampered with our minds. This set us on the path to Nott Senior, since we were at Theo's house when it happened. We had more evidence of course but, that was the first piece of it. Pansy swears it was him, Anna wasn't as sure, and Tracey-" Draco stopped himself and analyzed Potter's reaction. Harry gave him a knowing look, instead of the expected reaction which was curiosity or maybe confusion. Draco sat down in shock, "Did you figure it out? Theo searched for years; I never knew who it was. I would have killed him Harry, if I had known."

Harry cleared his throat, uncertain how much he should tell Draco Malfoy about an unsanctioned investigation, even though he knew, the man wouldn't betray Tracey that didn't mean he could know the whole truth. Harry cleared his throat to speak, "He's already dead. It doesn't matter anymore."

"But it wasn't Nott Senior? Who was it?" Draco leaned into Harry's personal space.

Harry backed away from him, "I said it doesn't matter, because it doesn't matter."

"I suppose." Draco was not convinced though. He sat back in silent contemplation.

Harry could take this opportunity to actually bring in more help, that is if he could trust Malfoy. He knew that Malfoy didn't really trust him, despite that fact that he seemed to share some dark secrets with Harry. It was a game to Malfoy, or was it? There was only one way to find out and that was to keep him close. Harry asked, "Do you really want to help us with this?"

Draco took a minute to really think about it. He did want to know what had happened if only because of Theo. He felt he owed it to him in some way. Even though the truth had killed his best friend, would it kill him as well? Was it worth the risk? Draco replied, "I want to help."

Harry nodded, "Good. We need access to everything from the Nott residence and I need to see those wards on the house. Also, any lead you get on any other victims. They all seem to be women around our age and most of them pureblood or half-blood, so if you've heard any rumors or if you know anything…"

Draco's brows scrunched up, "Wait, are you saying there are more victims? More than just Pans, Anna and Trace?"

Harry grabbed his pocket watch out of his robes and glanced at the clock on the wall as if to confirm the time, he looked at Draco seriously, "You can't tell anyone any of this information, especially Tracey, yeah?" Draco nods and promises with a wand to his heart. Harry continues, "We've got 12 victims total, and Merlin help us I hope that's all there is." Draco let's out a whisper, "Shit, I knew it." The blonde lets his head fall down on the table and he wraps his arms around his head and his hands around his neck, "I fucking knew it."

Harry looks around confused, "Knew what?" He shakes the distraught man's arm, "Knew what?"

Draco lifts his head and his wand, he puts it to his temple as he says, "There may be two more, but most likely," he pulls out a vial to place the retrieved memory in, "they didn't finish the rites in time. It's an ancient ritual and my father," Draco tosses the memory to Harry, "he told me about it, when I was younger. It was... I was, looking for something in his office when I found this text. I went back to look for it after seeing the room where Tracey," He put his wand to his temple again and pulls out another memory, "Tracey, … I felt responsible, I felt…" Harry takes the second vial from Draco's hand as the man starts to cry from the newly surfaced memories. Harry leans into him to offer a shoulder. Draco pushes him away, "Fuck off Potter, were not friends like that." Harry laughs a little at him and Draco shakes his head. Harry says, "I guess we'll never be friends like that."


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! Hope you are having a great day!

Chapter 17:

**Hermione's tiny flat – London- Tuesday night**

The kitchen in her tiny flat was pathetic, it barely had enough room for her turn around in. Yet somehow, she managed to make dinner for herself and Ginny and it hadn't turned out too bad. Although maybe Ginny was just being nice.

"No, really," Ginny protests, "it was very, very good love. Why would I lie about dinner of all things?" Hermione pulls her hair back from her face, "Maybe because you don't want to hurt my feelings?" Ginny stacks the dishes in the sink and flicks her wand at them to start the cleaning, "Well it was good, especially considering the state of this kitchen. Really, Hermione, when are you going to find a bigger place?"

The petite brunette twirls her wine glass, "I'm fine right here. I don't need much space and I'm hardly ever in London anymore." Ginny scoffs, "You've been here for months!" Hermione hadn't thought of it, but she had only been traveling when absolutely necessary for work lately. Maybe it was time to finally stop traipsing across the globe constantly. Is that what she wanted? To stop moving and stand still, here, with Gin?

Ginny moves into the small living room area and takes the wine and both their wine glasses with her, silently beckoning her girlfriend to follow. The brunette lays across her lover's lap and relaxes into deep thought. Gin scratches her nose and stares at the witch, "Cripes I really can hear your wheels turning you know?" Hermione smiles at her. Suddenly a knock at the door. Hermione sits up quick and runs to open it. There stands a very distraught looking Harry Potter. His eyes are red, his robes are stained and crinkled, his glasses cracked, he stands there without so much as a word and Hermione stands aside to let the man in.

He stops at the sight of Ginny who stands up to behold the bedraggled man, "Merlin! Harry what happened to you?" He walks over to Ginny and says, "I'm sorry to intrude Ginny, but can I please speak with Hermione alone?" The redhead regards him warily and looks over at her girlfriend who gives her a silent nod of assent. "Harry," his ex-wife starts, "please take care of yourself. Whatever you're doing, you still have a family who cares about you, and I-" Harry gives her a nod and stands aside with his arm out in a motion for her to please leave, thank you. Ginny kisses Hermione goodbye with promises to call later.

Harry doesn't wait for Hermione's invitation, he sits on the couch and starts talking, "Hermione, what do you know about blood magic? Or about soul binding?" Hermione blinks rapidly, her mouth agape, "It's mostly theory, from what I understand soul binding has never actually occurred, or it's never been recorded as far as I know. And well blood magic is – it's – there are many forms, so I would need to research probably or -"

Harry lets out a loud distressed groan and pulls out a small flask bringing it to his lips under the scrutiny of his best friend. "Don't look at me like that. You'd be drinking too if you were me."

She licks her lips in contemplation as she says, "What is it Harry? What's going on?"

Harry shoves the flask back in his robes and smiles half-heartedly, "We're getting the band back together it seems. Reunion tour good for you about now?"

Hermione rushes into her bedroom using her wand to clear away any mess in the closet, she gets down on the floor pulling up the boards and opens up a number of boxes, Harry stands in the doorway questioning his oldest friend's sanity, she emerges with a small beaded bag. Harry smiles warmly at her and says, "You think we need the big guns, then?" Hermione shrugs her hair a mess and her smile bursting, "Well why don't you tell me what we're doing, and I'll pack accordingly."

* * *

"So," Harry breathes out and takes a sip of tea, Hermione is walking around the tiny kitchen and thru the living room and then back to where Harry sits at the small breakfast nook table, pacing. Harry has just unloaded the whole sordid tale and everything he knows about 'operation bring forth the dark lord with darkest magics of blood.' Hermione pauses every once in a while, rubbing her hands together or ruffling her hair. He knows she needs a few moments to work everything out, but he's anxious to hear her thoughts, his own thoughts are a mess. Forefront on his mind, who are the other two victims and how will he find them? So far, it seems Arianna might be the only child in danger, but if there are two more out there…

"We need to find the other two victims first," Hermione pulls the thoughts out of his head, Harry smiles at her, she looks confused, "What? What is it?" Harry laughs, "You just read my mind is all." She sits down opposite him, "If Arianna has been bound by blood, they would still need to activate her soul bond if it even exists. I'm not sure how it would work, but from what you've told me, we need that text Draco was talking about. There may be a way to reverse it or at the very least a way to prevent whatever is trapped in her from taking over her very soul."

"What if it's already awoken in her?" Harry can't believe he's even going down this train of thought but, "Are we too late?"

"No," Hermione looks into her friends darkened eyes, "she's your daughter, that in and of itself means she has hope."

"It doesn't matter who her father is. The ritual is what counts and as far as the rites are concerned, she has no mother, no father, and is just a vessel for this new… dark thing." Harry closes his eyes and speaks softly, "It might not be her. There are still two more possibilities. I can't go down this path without knowing for sure."

Hermione jumps across the table and hugs him fiercely, "We will help her. No matter what Harry. We will fix this together."

* * *

**Tracey Davis Flat – London - Saturday**

Sitting around the house listening to 'old timey music' as Ari called it, the girls were eating ice cream and talking. After many months of strain, they had finally come back around to being friendly with each other. Tracey no longer took any of these pleasant interactions for granted. Ari had explained how James was very nice, but Julien didn't like him, so she couldn't possibly hang out with James anymore, because reasons. Tracey didn't want to judge but, "Don't you think you should be friends with whomever you want? I mean James is practically family." Arianna shouts back, "Jules is family!" Tracey nods in understanding and continues calmly, "Yes, of course he is but," she puts on her serious Mom face, "well Harry and I are getting very close. You like him, don't you?" Ari nods as her mother continues, "I like him a lot too, and I was thinking we might want to take a big step in our relationship, if it's alright with you, I'd like to ask him to move in with us. What do you think?"

Arianna _thought_ that sounded like a great idea. She really did like Harry, but she was worried about how Jules would react and how fast this all seemed. She couldn't really stop her Mom from this though, could she? It was a lot of pressure. "I don't know what I think. I like him, and I know you guys are serious with each other, but," Tracey interrupts her, "you don't want things to change?" Ari sighs, "Maybe. I'm not sure. I'd like to know if he's my real Dad before he moves in, I guess." Tracey was surprised at how reasonable she was being, "I think that makes a lot of sense and I will discuss it with him, ok?" Arianna smiled a little at that and then went to the kitchen to get more ice cream.

* * *

When Harry arrives at Tracey's place, he's surprised to see Arianna opening the door for him. This must be why Tracey had asked him not to floo over to her place. They greet each other warmly and the young girl surprises him by giving him a hug. Harry is very happy to see her. "So how was your birthday? How does it feel to be 12?" Arianna groans at that, "It feels the same. I'm the same. Mom said you could meet her in her room. She wants to talk to you." Harry looks sheepishly at the girl, "You don't suppose I'm in trouble do you?" Arianna shrugs and speeds into her room closing the door behind her.

He knocks on the bedroom door and Tracey is seated on the bed when she says, "Come in. Close the door, will you?" He closes the door and Tracey pulls out her wand from beneath her pillow, she casts a silence charm and shield charm. Harry casts her a sideways glance. Tracey explains, "I don't want Ari sneaking in or listening in or anything. I want to ask about the investigation and some other things, if that's ok?"

Harry sits down on the bed and tries to find the right words, Tracey grabs his hand, "Let's start with something positive?" She pulls out an envelope from behind her, "I know you asked me not to do a paternity test, but, well, Ari said she wanted to know, so-" Harry stares at the envelope, he swallows hard, "Tracey I don't care about-" She cuts him off, "I know you told me not too, but it's not just Ari, this is for all of us Harry, because, well here just open it." Harry takes the envelope from her, "You've already read it?" Tracey nods, "I couldn't wait, shocking I know." Harry laughs a little and reads the test results, "It's a match. She's my daughter." He hugs Tracey hard, "Have you told her yet? Can I-" Tracey kisses him then and answers his unfinished question, "Yes. I think you should be the one to tell her. But before you do that. Can you please tell me anything about what you've discovered this week?"

A weight had been lifted from his chest, he knew it, he knew she was his daughter. Her eyes alone were proof enough for him. Just like little Lily. Lily had a sister now; she would be beyond thrilled to find that out. He would have to have a party or something, he should have introduced them already, how terrible was he? He would need to make sure James was on his best behavior around his new sister, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Oh Blast! He'd have to tell Ginny. She probably wouldn't be too surprised, he needed to call Hermione right away too.

"Harry? Have I lost you?" Tracey waves her hand in front of his face, "Are you alright in there?" She laughs at him; he looks to be deep in thought whilst grinning sweetly. He looks up at her into the deep blue gray pools of her smiling eyes, so much warmth and love lived here between them and around them. He didn't want to break the spell, so he cast his own silencing charm and wordlessly locked the door.

* * *

Ari had been eavesdropping and heard the results of paternity and then a wave of silence met her just outside the door. The spell was so powerful it knocked her back a few steps. What was her Mom asking about his work? At least he knew for sure that her Dad was Harry Potter. Merlin, that was something. Her instinct was to call or floo Julien, but he might not take the news so well. Theo would have been her number one choice of course, but he was gone. She wondered what he would have said. Probably something like, "Well, you're only half a Potter so I guess that means we can still hang out." Then he would have smiled that big stupid grin of his. She had Theo's wand in her hands, and it felt so much better than the wand she purchased in America before going to Hogwarts. Theo's wand sang to her and it was powerful. All her professors had noticed her improvement with the new wand. She was getting good at magic and everyone around her seemed pleased with her progress. Inside Ari felt proud she was doing well, but also, as Jules had guessed, she was afraid. Afraid of her power, and magic in general. Theo had always warned her about the darkness of magics.

* * *

_**Boston – Davis apartment – fall 2006**_

_Tio was the silliest uncle and he always played magic tricks with little Ari. In the small apartment the brown-haired blue-eyed man would laugh and play with Arianna until her mother got back from the University where she was working toward her PhD and working on a new study for the government. He didn't babysit very often anymore as he was always traveling for some reason. The 5-year-old girl was always so happy to see him though. Today he was showing her the best way to clean her room. _

"_See? All you do is shove it all into the closet and then," with a swish of his wand he closed the impossibly full closet closed, "there! Magic! All Gone!" Arianna was in a fit of giggles and pulling on his arm, "No Tio! No! That's not how you clean up!"_

_Theo grabbed the girl around the waist, "What do you mean that's not how? Do you want to go in the closet too? Do you?" He walked her over to the closet as she kicked and screamed at him in between guffaws, "No! Put me Down! TIO!" He dropped her on the floor and then flicked his wand to levitate her, he rolled her around in the air and she laughed till her sides were hurting. Finally, when she could barely breathe he put her down gently. He sat down on the floor with her as the girl looked up at him, "I can't wait to do magic!" Theo swallowed hard and looked at her seriously, "Magic isn't all fun and games darling girl. It can be dangerous. That's why your Mum doesn't do any very much." The girl protests, "No it's so much fun! You can teach me!" Theo snaps at her, "No. No Ari, I can't teach you." The little girl frowns, "But," Theo stands up to walk away from her, "I shouldn't be doing any magic anymore." He holds his wand in both hands and starts to bend it, Ari runs up to him and grabs onto the wand, "No Tio! Don't break it! Please!" _

_Theo bends down to the little girl and gives her a hug, "I won't break it. I just don't want you to get hurt. Magic can hurt Ari. It's more pain than fun. Don't ever do magic without me or your Mum around alright? Promise me?" Arianna nodded a very serious look on her little face. _

* * *

**Hogwarts – The Great Hall – April**

The Gryffindor table was obnoxiously loud that afternoon. Having won the last two Quidditch matches they were tied with Slytherin for the house cup. Gryffindor however was celebrating as if the cup were already won. Arianna tried to stay away from the jubilee, but it was hard when the boy-wonder Potter was sitting right next to her telling jokes and trying to make everyone around him laugh. Ari didn't want to hurt her new brother's feelings, so she smiled along and tried not to feel so awkward.

When James had found out that Ari was his sister, he was confused at first but ultimately, he felt they would be even better friends now than they already were. James gave her a hug and a warm smile when he welcomed her to the family, "Now we can go skateboarding whenever we want! You can stay at my place, or the Burrow, you have to meet everyone, and I'll teach you how to play Quidditch!" Ari was reluctant to agree but she didn't really feel like she had much choice. Harry, or Dad she supposed now, would be moving in soon and when they found a big enough place James and Lily would be staying there sometimes. It felt like too much, going from a family of two to a family of five or more.

At the Slytherin table Julien was doing his best not to glare at the scene that James was making. He was putting his arm around Ari and cracking jokes. He could only see the back of her head but from the way her shoulders slumped and the way she slipped out of his grasp; she clearly didn't like all the new attention. He hadn't spoken to her in weeks since she told him about the paternity test. He supposed she was technically a Potter now too. The thought left him with very little appetite. The small group of friends that Jules had gathered in Slytherin house were openly glaring at the Gryffindor table, thoughts of payback shared amongst them wordlessly. Jules looked to a boy across from him, the smallest of all the Slytherin freshman class he was often used for espionage due to his ability to fit into small spaces. Jules need only give him one look and he would set the plan in motion. He locked eyes with the boy, but just then a familiar face burst into his frame of vision. Ari leaned over the table a meter away from Jules he didn't meet her eyes, she said, "Can I talk to you alone please?" Her hair fell into her face, she pushed it back and stood up across from him, her arms crossing over her chest, "Please?"

* * *

Once they were outside the hall Jules finally looked at her, and he noticed that she had a determination in her step, they were headed somewhere specific. When they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest Jules stopped her, "I'm not going in there, just tell me what you want." Ari spun around on him and she was still headed up the path to the Forest, "I wanted to talk about our bet."

Jules mouth fell open slightly, but he snapped it shut, "Why?"

The raven-haired girl walked closer to him, "A deal is a deal. And besides I wanted to know what you had in mind."

Jules scowled, "Is this your attempt at subterfuge?"

Ari scoffed, "No! I… wait... what does subtrijoog mean?"

The brown-haired boy closed his eyes as his face fell forward in laughter, "Ari, if there's one thing I can count on, it's that you are truly thick."

The girl pushed him and pursed her lips, "Well there's all sorts of creatures in the Forest, we can capture one and set it loose on James and the rest of them. Or we could stink up their robes or their rooms! Or we could put boil growing potion in the body wash or…"

"Ari, Ari, stop. We can't do any of that. It's too juvenile. We have to think of something truly terrifying."

"_So, you're not backing out on our bet?"_

"When have I ever backed out of a challenge?

"_Fine. But I'm changing the terms."_

"Go on then."

"_I'll help you but instead of proving my total and complete lack of fear, you will accompany me to a Muggle theme park."_

"You're completely mad. I couldn't possibly… No."

"_It's one day out of your miserable life. What harm could it do?"_

He had no response to that. He did not want to appear fearful, especially not of anything as simple as a Muggle theme park. Although he wasn't exactly sure what he would find at said park, he reluctantly agreed.

* * *

**Gryffindor Dorms/Slytherin Dorms – Two nights later**

The nerves kept her from sleeping that night. She stayed awake wrapped up in an oversized t-shirt, her knees up to her chin, her wand clutched in her sweaty grasp. She practiced over and over again, levitating her sleeping roommates and gently guiding them down. None of them woke up. She could do this. She had to do this.

* * *

Julien was sleeping soundly when the most annoying sound in the world disrupted his dreams. It was his dorm mates' alarm, and they were itching to get started. He had forgotten that tonight was the night. They handed him his broom and a very shoddy invisibility cloak. Jules reminded them, "the password is 'protean.' Do not forget your wands and disillusionment charms!"

The Slytherin boys headed toward Gryffindor tower and Jules carefully climbed the steps making his way to the suit of armor on the second floor. This secret passageway would put him out into the forbidden forest. Once he successfully got outside, he launched into the air. He took note of the time on his pocket watch and made his way around to Gryffindor tower.

Inside the tower Arianna was shaking uncontrollably. The Slytherin boys were downstairs and all around the boy's dorm keeping an eye out and casting silencing and disillusionment charms all over the place. Ari stood at the foot of James' bed and stared at him. Did she really want to do this? It was a harmless prank and he would probably laugh about it when it was all said and done. She tiptoed to the window and opened it manually and carefully peeked outside to give Jules the signal, a small green spark from her wand was met with another small spark nearby in the cold night air. She carefully cast her levitation charm and aimed it straight at young Potter. He didn't stir at all and the young girl breathed a sigh of relief, getting him out the window would be the hardest part. She had to angle him sideways and make sure his feet didn't catch on the sides as he slid out the window. Now was the really tricky part. Jules had thrown off his cloak completely, his face set in determination, he gave Ari the signal and let James Potter go. When Jules caught him with his own levitating spell, she spared him barely a glance and then headed downstairs with the boys.

On her way downstairs, she heard the Slytherin's laughing, she cast a stupefy at one offender and gave them a warning, "No more laughing. Get to work." They did as she ordered and started lining the stairs to the boy's dorm with spider web, casting disillusionment charms on the webbing as they worked. They had nearly gotten a third of the stairs done when they saw them. All of the boys of Gryffindor were descending upon them.

The first few tumbled right into the intruders tripping on the webbing. As soon as they reached the Slytherins at the bottom of the stairs punches were thrown. Arianna cast shield charms over the Slytherin's yelling, "Fall BACK! Get OUT!" Her crew backed up as the Gryffindor's stormed ahead, they cast the first stupefy and that's when everything erupted.

Meanwhile, Malfoy had only had James under his spell for half a minute when he woke up screaming and flailing. This broke Jules' concentration and Potter started to plummet toward the ground. Acting on instinct the young Malfoy dove for him and grabbed his arm mid fall, "HOLD ON! Climb up!" James grabbed onto the broom and very sloppily climbed up in front of Julien. Their combined weight and awkward angle made steering difficult. Shaking and stumbling they somehow made it to the ground unharmed. That is until Potter started swinging fists at the mischievous Malfoy.

Back in Gryffindor tower Ari was trying to hold the line, while Slytherin's were falling and fleeing all around her. She was hit with a jelly legs jinx and thankfully a counter curse came quickly, although who cast it she wasn't sure. The staircase and hallway were in ruins and a small fire was burning behind her. She couldn't think straight with all these jinxes and hexes flying everywhere. She needed everyone to stop shouting. She crouched down behind a few Slytherin boys and aimed true to her house's side, who were still fairly clumped together on the staircase tangled in web. It was a massive bubble charm of her own design. Something like plastic but big enough to house every Gryffindor in sight. It was hard and solid, and apparently air tight. The Slytherin's all fled at the sight of their rival house gasping and choking for air. Little Arianna froze in terror at the solid transparent prison she had created to house her housemates. They were clawing at invisible walls and gasping for air.

Outside James was laying into Julien hit after gruesome hit. Jules barely got his hands up in time to cover his face, but when he did James landed one right in his soft stomach. Jules doubled over and fell to the ground, his wand clutched in his hand he cast the first thing he could think of, a scorching hex. James' hair caught fire and he ran for the lake. Julien writhed on the ground in pain.

Arianna was working furiously to undo the bubble charm. She tried every standard undoing charm, hex, and jinx she could think of. Her whole body was shaking, and her head was pounding when Professor Longbottom burst in and broke the bubble. Many students had lost consciousness, including Arianna Davis Potter whose whole world turned to black in an instant as the bubble burst.


	18. Chapter 18

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have officially finished this story! There are 24 chapters and almost 80,000 words. This is the first novel length story I've ever written and I'm very excited to be done. Since I will be participating in NaNoWriMo this year I will hopefully get all remaining chapters up and ready before November 1st. The ending for this story is OPEN. It could be considered a CLIFFHANGER. If you don't like that I suggest you leave now. I will add a warning to the first chapter as well as when I started this journey, I didn't expect the ending to be open. But things change and stories are fickle. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this final stretch!

* * *

Chapter 18:

**Ex-Mrs. Malfoy's Estate - France – Saturday**

The former Mrs. Malfoy was chain smoking on the balcony, as she had been doing since her son arrived home from Hogwarts covered in bruises with emptiness in his eyes. What hope was there now that he had been expelled? How was she going to fix this?

* * *

Julien was laying on the floor of his room listening to an old record player. He liked the vibrations of the music and found it soothed him like the feeling of having his wand nearby. They had taken his wand as soon as he got home. Expelled. An outcast. No future. Maybe he wouldn't even get to use magic anymore. He wasn't sure. His mother had not said one word to him in two days. He tried to ask her questions, in English, in French, in Arabic, in every language he could think of. She wouldn't acknowledge him, and he felt that she was being incredibly immature. He had asked his father to bring his laptop, so he could at least contact someone and see how Ari was. He heard she was in the infirmary, but he wasn't sure what had happened to her. Was she expelled as well?

* * *

Draco waited for his ex-wife to come inside from the balcony. He sat in a chair in front of the fireplace, a newspaper opened in front of him, a bottle of whiskey on the table beside him. She smoked too much, and he didn't want to be anywhere near the smell; it gave him a migraine.

She slid inside the house and cast a silent charm to dispel the smell of smoke. She stood in front of him and he rose to meet her face to face. The waif fell into him and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her, she was fragile in his arms, he held her softly as she cried. He pulled away from her after a moment and showed her the front page of the paper, "Did you see that Arianna is Potter's child? I mean I had guessed all those years ago but - " The Daily Prophet headline read, 'Arianna Potter lovechild of famed War Hero: EXPELLED from HOGWARTS'

Draco scoffed, "Ridiculous that they're dragging her life out in public like this. I've already put a cease and desist on them for anything relating to Jules don't worry. We can't have the Malfoy name in the papers in such a negative light."

His ex-wife was frantically sobbing now. Draco moved next to her and put an arm around her, confused at her excessive emotional outpouring, "What's going on?"

The woman stepped away from him and sat down on a small loveseat she invited him to join her with a delicate wave of her hand. She spoke for the first time in days, and her voice was horribly scratchy and cracked, "He's not, a Mal-foy."

The tall blonde man clenched his fists and fought the urge to shake his former wife, "What? Be very specific and very careful with your next few words." He stared icy daggers at her, but she did not meet his eyes when she spoke, "You have known he is not yours. In name only is he your son, not by blood. Now we cannot protect him. We must send him away maybe? I don't know anymore."

Draco swallowed hard. His jaw was tight. "Who?" She didn't answer him. He tossed furniture and broke every glass. He raged and clawed at the walls. She didn't answer him, but she did walk away out the front door with no intention of coming back that night.

* * *

Several hours later, Draco walked into Julien's room and found the pre-teen on the ground his eyes closed and his hands beating in time to the Muggle music playing from the record player. Father laid down next to son shoulder to shoulder. The blonde turned to the brown-haired boy and their eyes met. Jules eyes were black, his skin was pale like Draco's, but his eyes were black-brown, not a hint of blue or silver, which made no sense since he had silver eyes and his mother had crystal blue. He loved his son, more than any other person in his life. Did it matter if he wasn't biologically his? Draco decided right then, looking into his eyes that it didn't matter at all. Not one bit.

* * *

Julien broke the silence, "I'm sorry Dad. You have no idea how sorry I am. I'll do anything you ask of me to make this right. I'll take any punishment without hesitation. I'm ready to face the consequences. I just want to know one thing." Draco kept his gaze steady and waited as Jules continued, "Is everyone OK? I mean, did, anyone, get, really hurt? Is Ari OK?" Jules lip quivered slightly saying her name, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he hurt his only true friend.

Draco sat up and pulled Julien to a seated position on the floor as well, he held his son's shoulders and shook him slightly as the man started to cry. Jules looked truly frightened at the sight of his father's emotionality. His dad pulled him into a hug and Jules whimpered. Draco choked out the words, "You're worried about them? Not about going back to school?" Jules nodded into his shoulder and his dad continued, "You're a good boy Jules. Have I told you that enough? You are a good kid. I'm a shit father, your mother is absent, but somehow you are a good kid."

Jules pulled out of his embrace and smiled softly at his dad. Draco continued, "Your friends are fine. Ari was at St. Mungo's for a day, she depleted her magic to a dangerously low level, but she's at home now." Jules moved to stand he turned around in a circle as if looking for something. Draco looked around the room, "What is it?" Jules pulled out a box from his closet, a long thin box, he gave it to his dad, "Can you give her this? Or can you take me to her?" Draco nodded, "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

**Tracey & Harry's flat – London - Saturday**

They hadn't officially moved in together but Harry and been staying at her place every day for the past week. They were still searching for a new place together when the whole Hogwarts incident of 2013 occurred. Tracey saw her first glimpse of Harry the overprotective father when they had received the news. She liked that side of him just as much as all the other sides. Now he was deep into the detective problem solver side of himself. They didn't even have enough room for Dr. Davis' tiny desk in the dining/living area. The bedroom had now become the impromptu unofficial investigations office of Auror Potter.

Then there was Arianna who had recovered from convalescence but still laid about with the weight of the world pressing down on her. She had begun a very delicate relationship with her new dad and now it was strained to the point of breaking. Had she intended to hurt James or any of the others? When she thought back on it, it seems clear that she had made poor choices, but whether she meant others harm intentionally she couldn't figure it out. Remorse was a new feeling for her. Oddly enough the one person who could possibly help her navigate having the lives of others in their hands, and then failing those people, was Harry Potter. He led people into dangerous situations on the daily; not to mention the war and whatever happened there.

As if summoned by magic her father knocked upon her open door and Arianna laying in a rumpled bed motioned for him to enter. She slowly raised up to a slouching posture against the headboard. He took up a half-sit posture on the end of the bed. He was turned toward her but looking back at the open door as if to make sure he could indeed leave if needed. Or maybe that wasn't what he was thinking at all. With a silent spell he cast a silencing charm that fell only over the bed. Arianna sat up straighter at this and he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. Taking a deep breath, he started, "It's time to have that really important and uncomfortable talk." Arianna sighed and shrugged, "Mom has already given me the options. Private tutoring or muggle school if I don't return to Hogwarts."

"And why wouldn't you return to Hogwarts?" He asked with confusion.

"The embarrassment? The-" she struggled with the words because guilt and remorse were so unfamiliar to her. Not to Harry though and he gave voice to her feelings, "It's guilt that you're feeling. Believe it or not, it's a good thing. It means you know how badly you've messed up and that you want to change it. You want to do better. And, you will do better in the future."

She shook her hair down to obscure her face, "You can't know that."

Harry leaned back a little to see her face better and get closer to the girl, "I can believe in you even if you don't believe in yourself."

The young girl let her black hair fall completely down her face, leaning all the way forward to shield her red eyes from him. She struggled to bring her thoughts into some kind of order, she said, "I believe that I'm not meant to be a witch. Me almost draining myself of magic proves it. I can't hang."

Harry had a moment of clarity about young Ari, "You're afraid of magic. Why?"

The girl looked up at him through her sheet of hair, she was offended by the accusation, but also knew it was true. "I'm not afraid of anything! Haven't I proved that enough already?"

"What do you mean? Were you trying to prove something when you did this?" Harry had his interrogation voice on.

"It was a stupid bet! He knows I'm not scared of anything and I proved it." Arianna sat up straighter and pushed her long hair back.

Harry was putting the pieces together now, freaking Malfoys. He said, "Julien Malfoy bet you and that's what started all this, I see. You know he's been expelled?"

She turned away from him and laid down facing the window, "I know. And it's all my fault."

He reached out for her but drew his hand back. "You're at fault for your part in it, he's at fault for his part in it. They haven't expelled you because this is the first time you've done anything against the rules, as far as they know."

Ari closed her eyes and in her best petulant angst filled voice she said, "It doesn't matter. I'm not going back."

Harry's heart sank at her words. He heard that before this incident Ari was doing very well in her classes and she was even looking forward to learning new magics with Theo's old wand. He saw a spark in her that only magic could ignite and now that spark was dying before his eyes. How could he show her how important magic is? Who could help her see the beauty in it, the wonder?

"Get up and get dressed," he ordered her, "We're going out."

* * *

**Luna's Garden – Saturday Afternoon**

Luna was dressed all in gold today. Her sunglasses were a bright shiny gold with black lenses, her long trousers were loose and shimmery, and her bright yellow hair fell down her back in a single plait. She was giving Arianna the grand tour and when they came to the greenhouse toward the back of the property Luna said, "Get your wand ready." Arianna turned to Harry in confusion, he pushed her forward slightly and smiled. "Can you help me with these butterfly bubbles? We need to direct them toward the back of the greenhouse for the blooming crathouers." Ari hesitantly raised her wand and cast as the strange witch directed her. The floating iridescent bubbles were filled with tiny butterflies, and when the bubbles burst over the blooming flowers behind the plastic screen it was magic in full dance. The tiny insects and the blooming flowers hummed and glowed in tune with each other.

"Luna," Ari addressed the casually interested witch, "when did you discover you could do all this?" Luna thought for a moment, "I always knew there was more to the garden than just the gnomes and the gnargles. A gardener never retires." The cryptic message must have held an answer for Ari because she simply nodded. Harry grabbed her arm when she exited the greenhouse, "Ready for the next?" She shrugged, and they waved goodbye to Luna.

* * *

**St. Mungo's – Saturday twilight**

The hospital was buzzing when they arrived. They went straight to the volunteer station and grabbed someone to direct them to anywhere or anyone that needed assistance. It just so happened that 12 women were labor tonight and the emergency ward was in need of some help with small injuries. They headed down to emergency and were thrust a small kit of potions and ointments and told to start at the end of the hall. Many witches and wizards sat along the hall in conjured chairs in various states of consciousness.

Their first patient had already been treated by a nurse and just needed some instructions on how to treat their burns. Harry gave them directions to the nurses' station and a brochure on burn treatment. The next patient was a young mother who had a sizeable chunk of hair missing and a few teeth. Arianna watched Harry very delicately look into the woman's mouth and start his casting. He held up a mirror, so she could see his work. He directed Ari to start re-growing her hair and the young girl gulped loudly. The patient gave her a thumbs up and a wink while Ari whispered a hair enchantment.

Next up was a small boy, he seemed perfectly fine to the two novices. Then he spoke, "It's my tummy." Arianna grabbed his face and said, "Open up please." He did as she said, and his mouth was completely covered in black, she held up her wand and cast lumos to see down the boy's throat. Harry stood back watching her. Ari gave the boy a tsk-tsk, "What did you eat?" The young boy looked down sheepishly, "You won't tell on me?" She leaned into him and held her pinky in front of his face, "I swear it. It's a pinky swear so you know I can't go back on it." He was skeptical at first but held out his pinky anyway. They gave him a couple potions after double checking with the nurse on duty if the parents were ok with the treatment.

Then they were off to the maternity ward. Harry wasn't sure if it would bother Arianna to see and hear so much chaos, but she seemed to be taking it in stride. He was impressed with how she'd handled herself. She had good instincts and a natural talent for healing he thought. "Have you considered being a healer?" Harry asked. The girl laughed at him, "Me? A healer? Are you mental?" Harry pulled her into the ward and down the hall there was a room full of babies in need of extra care. They watched through the windows as medi-witches worked on the little ones.

"I don't think it's a joke at all, actually, I think you have a natural talent for it." Harry was serious as he stood next to his daughter watching the healers work, he could almost see her in there with them. She could read his thoughts in that moment and his belief in her started to spread in her chest and warm her on the inside. She remembered another wizard who used to fill her with warmth and understanding. "Theo never trusted healers. Or any magic folk really. He hated magic." Her father nodded in understanding, "He was raised by some very bad people Ari. Theo was a good man, a good wizard, but he was surrounded by dark magic. I can see why he didn't trust it. This is the side of magic that you never got to see. Your mother," Harry paused he didn't know how to say this, "she doesn't trust magic as much as she used too. I don't want you to shut out this part of yourself simply because of one mistake."

She hung her head and turned towards him whispering, "But it's not just this one mistake. It's because of…what's inside me. I know you're my biological father, but the magic it's… dark. My magic can't do what these witches and wizards do."

Harry directed Arianna to an empty room and sat her down in a conjured chair. He silenced the room and slowly paced as he spoke, "You know about what happened to your mother?" Arianna nodded slowly. "You may know the story, but you don't know what happened. Very few people do. As a matter of fact, we're still trying to figure it all out. How do you know you can't use your magic for the light? Have you ever tried?" Harry stopped in front of her and kneeled down, "You have to try Ari. Please. Just try and when we do have answers, I swear," he placed out his pinky, "you will be the first to know. We won't give up until we can help you. I won't give up." She jumped up to hug him and he silently wept and prayed to no God in particular, 'please let her be safe.'


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: This is the chapter of my nightmares. It has some flashback violence that is more alluded too than actually seen so be warned. So, why is this the chapter I've re-written the most and hesitated to post? Well, this is the chapter where the former Mrs. Malfoy is "revealed." I changed who she was so many times. If you want to know her original identity and my thought process on changing it, let me know I can add an end author's note on the next chapter. Needless to say, this chapter very nearly broke my whole story. As a matter of fact, every chapter after this one is, in some ways, recovering from this. I have so many doubts and I'm learning as I go. Thank you so much for reading, every click means a lot to me. Every review means the world.

* * *

Chapter 19:

**Malfoy Manor Library – Monday afternoon**

The Library at Malfoy Manor was airy and bright today. All windows had been opened and all the curtains were drawn back. The carpets sparkled with sunlight and all the candles were lit around the room making the dark wood floor and fixtures reveal any spots of dust and all the well-worn edges and cracks stood out. Hermione Granger was buried in books on the floor, which made the wrap around bookcases look woefully disorganized in their emptiness. Normally, this would be a moment of contentment; but the tomes she was scouring were of the darkest arts. She had her trusty Ancient Runes text open and was levitating it in front of her face as she bent down and searched the pages for clues. She needed help, the juggling was just slowing her down, she needed someone to sort through scrolls and catalog her findings. Someone to just do whatever she asked without objection. She thought of summoning one of the house elves to ask for an owl, but Malfoy walked in at that very moment.

"Did you need something Miss Granger?" Draco Malfoy walked slowly up to her section of the library, carefully navigating around the stacks to stand nearer her. Granger replied, "I need help, I was just going to summon-" Malfoy interrupted her, "Well, how can I be of assistance?" The frazzled witch glanced all around her and then back up at him, "Are you sure you can follow my orders without objection?" The suave blond wizard delicately puckered his mouth in reply, "Surely I will do my very best. It's like going into battle. I can handle the workload." Hermione considered him and crinkled her brow, "Fine. Let's get to it."

Draco rolled up his sleeves and dug right in. He cast a cooling charm over them both as the room started to heat up. Hermione ditched her first two layers of clothing leaving her in a camisole and jeans, her shoes long ago discarded to Merlin knows where. As the night wore on, they toiled. Malfoy managed to fill in some missing information for the hardworking witch. She was grateful but, "Do you know if we had the original text this wouldn't be as labor intensive, surely you must have some idea where-?" Draco shook his head, "I sincerely think it's been destroyed, and trust me, it's a good thing if it has been. We don't need it. We'll figure this out. We're already almost there. Look," he held up the chart of Runes, "we already know these are the primary binders of soul magics, and mixed with," he grabbed an old scroll, "this blood rites doctrine, we know that the initial letting is not enough to bind a soul to new life." Hermione pinched her bottom lip hard between thumb and forefinger in thought, "so that means these runes must be present on the inflicted in some way. We need to find a way to reveal them _and_ deactivate them." Draco nodded vigorously, "Or they may not be there at all. Or they may have been activated but they didn't work. Or they're activated, and we need to unbind any inflicted children."

Hermione rubbed her hands along the back of her neck and let out a very long sigh, "Right, we need three plans and a contingency. I'll work on the unbinding, you work on the runes and classifications." The tall wizard was hunched down on the ground almost in a ball as he said in a very small voice, a confession, "Hermione, thank you for doing this." The witch balked and waved her hand at him, "Draco, please it's fine! I should be thanking you for all your help." Draco stood up and moved closer to her, letting his eyes lock with hers, "You don't understand Hermione, I'm thanking you for all your efforts and for the future success you will undoubtedly have in this. I owe you, and you know I'm serious." Hermione swallowed hard, "It's really fine, you don't have to owe me anything. I'm just as worried about Ari as you." Draco dropped his eyes and looked away, "It's not just Ari. Not anymore." The witch turned away from him stifling a gasp. He didn't need to say anymore she had somehow known this was even more personal for him. "We won't stop till it's done Draco. I promise," she said solemnly.

* * *

Malfoy Manor had become, over the past few days, the official headquarters of their unofficial investigation. Potter, Ginny, Weasel, and Hermione had all but moved in. It was interesting for Draco to be on this side of their hijinks. He had never actually watched them in action, and they were quite, well…

Ron: "Just tell me where to put it from now on and I will!"

Ginny: "That's not the point, you can't just-!"

Hermione: "Ronald just don't touch anything."

Ron: "I am not some child that must be minded. I'm a full-grown wizard and I'll do—"

Harry: "Please stop! Shouting! Merlin!"

Draco leaned back against the wall laughing to himself. They were a mess and a half. He couldn't imagine how they got anything done let alone defeat the darkest wizard of (arguably) all time. He was trying to decide if he should intervene or not when Potter grabbed his arm and pulled him from the room.

The man started talking to him as he led him away, "I can't stand it when they argue." Draco raised an eyebrow, "Who specifically are you referring to?" Harry laughed, "All of them. Listen," he put on his serious wizard face and Draco tried not to roll his eyes as Harry's voice lowered with sincerity, "I meant to talk to you about your ex-wife's attack." Draco lowered his face and steeled his expression, "There isn't much to talk about. You got her memories, didn't you?" Harry nodded and continued, "That's just it. Her memories weren't like the others. Have you done a paternity test for Julien yet?" Draco shook his head, "I don't think it's necessary, I mean it's obvious isn't it? Regardless he's still my son."

Harry gave the tall wizard a squeeze on the arm as if to say 'you're a good egg' without actually having to say it. Draco wanted to pull his arm away but just rolled with it. Harry pulled out a small glass vial labeled 'malfoy 00' and handed it to him, "Here, you can see for yourself. Since I know that the minute I tell you what happened you'll want to see for yourself. I think you'll want that test as soon as possible." Draco reluctantly took the vial and went to his private study to view the memory.

* * *

_**Nathalie's French Estate – Summer 2000**_

_In just a few days the disgraced half-blood offspring of one French diplomat's daughter and one British Dark Wizard, Nathalie, would wed the pureblood heir Draco Malfoy. Although everyone knew she was half-blood her mother's political standing raised her above most children borne out of wedlock in the wizarding world. Most bastards would have been hidden away in an orphanage, but Nathalie's mother would never have let that happen. She was wealthier on her own than any of her former or current suitors. Her mother had never married and would have been happy if Nathalie had done the same, but Nathalie wanted more out of life. She wanted to be completely accepted by the magical world, she wanted to travel and have beautiful children in a big beautiful Manor house. She wanted to have power over those that would hold her down. More than anything Nathalie wanted to rub it in her good for nothing 'father's' face that she was more powerful than he would ever be, and she could crush him like a bug if she so wanted. _

_It was a cool summer night and Nathalie's dark brown hair hung down loose and fell to her waist. Her summer dress was a light yellow mini and brought out the gold in her skin. Her crustal blue eyes were shining with laughter as her friend Theo told the stupidest drunk stories she had ever heard. He was atrociously funny, and it made her blush and giggle. They didn't grow up together, but they had grown close these past few years. They had a mutual hatred for their fathers that bonded them. Those two haggard dark wizards who gave up their power to something twisted, it disgusted them both. He came over tonight bearing gifts of booze and money for the upcoming marriage. They hadn't discussed it lately, but Theo had an unburdening in their first few meetings. She supposed he wanted her to know that she wasn't alone. When the last bottle was emptied by the gentleman, she grabbed the bottle away forcefully, "NO! You drank it all!" She punched his arms and fell back in a fit of laughter as his mouth split into the biggest grin known to man and his blue eyes lit up. _The scene faded in front of Draco's present-day eyes and shifted.

_At this point in the night things got very hazy. _The memory skips around in time, Draco tries to control the time slip and fails._ Chanting can be heard in the office where previously they had been drinking. Theo is carving his forearms with a knife shaped like a snake, chanting and splashing blood at Nathalie's naked form on the floor. His eyes are full black as if ink had been poured into them. His wand replaces the knife and he cast a spell over Nathalie her eyes forcefully shut as she cries…_

* * *

Draco pulls himself out of the memory screaming. He can't watch anymore, and it takes him nearly an hour to pull himself together. Clearly, Theo and Nathalie had been manipulated, perhaps Theo had been Imperiused. He would talk to Potter about it. After he talked to Julien about his biological father. He needed to make sure he never knew the truth about this. Forget everything and focus only on his future. None of this would matter as soon as they figured out the counter curses and unbinding spells. He had to focus on the future.

* * *

**Harry & Tracey's flat – Tuesday night**

Sitting at her small desk in her makeshift corner of the kitchen office, Tracey's hair was piled up in a precarious bun, her glasses had slipped all the way down to the tip of her nose and she was mumbling to herself while reading and typing on her laptop. Deep in thought she didn't even hear Harry when he came in. It was well past midnight and he just didn't have the energy to make it any further than the couch. He closed his eyes for a moment, or maybe an hour or two.

The lithe brunette witch carefully removed the tired Auror's shoes and moved his legs up to a more comfortable position on the couch. She pulled his bag out from behind him and placed it near the coffee table. Harry stirred a little but went back to sleep after seeing it was only her rearranging him. She thought to whisper to him something about moving to the bed but then she decided to just leave him alone.

He had been keeping her in the dark on purpose regarding this extra-curricular investigation. She knew everyone was at Malfoy Manor constantly working on curing her daughter. A familiar feeling of guilt grew in her chest. Shouldn't she be the one fighting for her family's safety? Trusting in others was always hard for Tracey but in this instance, it was more that she wanted to assist in some way not that she thought they couldn't do it on their own. They had defeated countless dark wizards, and Malfoy was ruthless when need be, she knew firsthand.

Something about Draco had changed drastically over the months though. Of course, he was having a rough time with Julien and that played a big role but something else had been eating away at him ever since… Since Theo died. Hadn't that been when everything changed for all of them? Tracey knew she would never be the same. Theo was a father to Ari for a time, and a dear friend to her when she had no one but her little daughter. She had tried to help Theo, that's what no one understood. She had entered his mind and tried to piece together the broken bits, and to divorce all emotion from the traumas that were buried deep within him. The life he had led clearly weighed more on him than anyone could know. You never knew what people really thought, what their true feelings were, you could only tell the truth of them from their actions and their words. Theo was an accomplished liar and always had a mask on for the world. At night behind closed doors though, his tortured soul was laid bare in the land of dreams. If she closed her eyes and listened hard to the quiet night she could still hear his whimpers and his screams.

* * *

_**Boston 2004 – Tracey's apartment – night**_

_The screams from the living room tore her awake. In a flash, with her wand in hand, she ran to the little room and cast a silencing spell at the couch. The screams still rang out inside the bubble and she cast more protection shields around a thrashing Theo who had fallen to the floor, his hands tearing at his scalp. After a few long seconds he came fully awake. Tracey was shaking in worry and fear across the room from him. He sat up straight tears softly falling down his face. _

_Tracey walked cautiously toward him and sat down next to him on the floor. She tentatively put an arm around him as he continued to cry silently. He didn't lean into her. Theo breathed out his words in something of a whispered prayer, "How do you go on when everything you've done keeps coming back? I can't stop them Trace. The memories," Tracey shushed him, "Their flashbacks Theo, it's part of the condition I was telling you about. I can help you though, please if you'll just-" Theo grunted and got up on his knees. He brushed her hair away from her face gently, his hand falling down to her face she pulled away from him. Tracey said, "Why don't you take my bedroom tonight and I'll sleep with Ari?" He nodded in assent and she pulled out of his warm orbit slowly walking toward her daughter's room. He whispered as she faced away from him, "Do you get them too? Flashbacks?" _

_She turned to face him her eyes far away, "I do. It's par for the course, it happens to all of us." At this Theo stood up and hung his head, "Can you teach me how to do this therapy? Is there a spell I can learn?" Tracey looked puzzled, "I could, maybe, I'm not sure how—" Theo shook his head, "Forget it. It was just an idea." He walked to the bedroom, careful not to brush against her as he passed._

* * *

**Nathalie Malfoy Estate – France – Wednesday afternoon**

The formerly lush green landscape of her sprawling estate had turned a pale-yellow brown. She paced around the house all morning and now she was sitting on a balcony off the west wing staring at the brilliant blue afternoon sky, deep in thought. Why did she stay here in this place of too many bad memories? Now her only son was doomed to follow in her footsteps, to be an outcast trapped in a house full of resentment. It may seem like she didn't care for her only boy, but the truth was he reminded her so much of Theo it terrified her. Theo had never claimed the boy as his own when he was alive or in his death, that made her angry. Why hadn't he wanted her or Julien? They could have been happy together in their own little forsaken world. A world they would have made away from everyone and sod them all anyway! She had loved Theo that was something she could fully admit to herself now as messed up as that was. He shared something with her, something painful and dark, but also, they were both neglected and ignored. Cast aside by their family, by their absentee mothers, by the people they had chosen to devote their lives too. Tracey had tossed him aside, and Draco, well at first, he had been sweet and sensual but, over time he became cold and distant. Nathalie may as well have been a piece of furniture to her former husband.

Just when she had resigned herself to a life of being a beautiful fixture to be admired from afar, Theo came back. He wanted to be there for her, but he also knew that Draco was Julien's real father in all the ways that counted. Draco loved the child in a way Theo thought he wasn't capable of, and he kept his distance from Julien. Instead he devoted his fatherly affections to little Arianna Davis. Nathalie didn't hold anything against the girl, but her mother, Dr. Davis, well she had a little problem with her. She completely ignored Theo's devotion for years and broke his poor heart. When he had first come to Nathalie it had been to hide out, maybe gather his strength after the conflict with his father. He lived at Malfoy Manor with all of them for a while, and then he stayed at the French estate basically alone, unless Nathalie came to visit. During those visits they forged a great friendship, she thought perhaps they would have even more than that and it caused her sham of a marriage to completely fall apart. Theo never wanted to break up anyone's family and he pushed her away, pushed everyone away by running to the farthest corners of the world and hiding.

The somber dark-haired witch may have given Auror Potter her fuzzy memories of that night with Theo, but he didn't hold her memories of what happened afterwards. When they became bonded over something twisted. They never talked about it and now that was one of her deepest regrets. That she never told him she forgave him for everything and although she would never be healed completely, she was able to hold onto some fondness for her dear departed Theo.

* * *

Julien was feeling physically better but mentally and emotionally he was lost without his magic. Loneliness was also starting to set in. His mother had always been sort of distant, or rather distracted. Now she was downright melancholy. He didn't think the thing he would miss most about Hogwarts would be the other students or even the teachers. Apparently, he wasn't as bereft of humanity as he had once believed.

The gangly young teen turned on his laptop to find a message from the genetics company he had sent his samples too. The results were somewhat hard to understand in the format of raw data, which was the only way this Muggle company released them apparently. If he was going to understand this, he would need someone who knew something of Muggle science. There were only two almost Muggle witches that he knew personally. How was he going to sneak out of the Estate though? Well, more likely than not his mother wouldn't even notice he was gone.


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: A bit of a cliffhanger! If you want to wait until I get the next chapter. Just a heads up!

Chapter 20:

**Tracey's flat – Monday**

The living room was a total disaster but, what else is new? Ari hardly thought her Mom would even notice the mess she'd been so distracted lately and besides she wouldn't be home for hours. Jules and Ari tore through Dr. Davis' files in search of her own genetics testing results. They also had a few books and laptops strewn about. They were searching for how to interpret the data on both sets of tests. The young witch couldn't put her finger on it, but something wasn't right.

Jules was wearing muggle clothing for the first time in his life. He was trying to blend into Ari's surroundings and also, he wasn't sure if they would need to go out into the muggle world for anything. He felt incredibly self-conscious, constantly pulling at his shirt and feeling itchy all over, like he was wearing someone else's skin. There was also the biting feeling at the back of his brain that told him something was definitely wrong.

Ari flops back on the couch with her laptop open, she starts to furiously type up an email. Jules leans down to look at her work, "You're just going to write them and hope they don't go straight to our parents? Merlin, Ari! All these muggles contacting my family is the last thing I need." Ari rolls her eyes, "It's not like an owl, we can pretend to be someone else online. No one will know where the emails have come from." Julien gives her a confused look when she glances back at him over her shoulder. She continues, "We will lie. And cheat. And get the information we need, that's all that matters." Julien smirks at her, "You know we might be able to take some samples at St. Mungo's too? We could get some magical ancestry data from their information stores. Maybe use that to, I don't know, figure some of this stuff out." Arianna snaps her fingers and shouts, "Yes! Brilliant!" Jules beams at her. This was fun, he thought. It shouldn't be this fun considering the delicate nature of the information they were gathering, and the potential to ruin so many lives right at their fingertips, but, still, it was fun.

* * *

**Hogwarts – Friday afternoon – two weeks after the incident**

Sitting in the headmistress's office Draco was doing his very best not to feel like a child called in due to bad behavior. Harry was more at ease in the office probably because he had always been invited in to confer with their former Headmaster rather than to be reprimanded. Draco thought for not the first time that he really didn't know much about what happened to the boy-who-lived back then. He'd have to ask him about it all someday.

Next to Harry sat his son James. A tall young man although not as tall as Jules. His hair was lighter too than the last time he'd seen him. Almost like he had blonde highlights throughout the brown feathery mess on his head. His nose looked very red and sunburned too. The boy was definitely the outdoorsy type, he noted.

Although he knew that they were all there to try to get Jules and Ari back in school he was still nervous that James might not be totally on board. Why would the kid care if his two tormentors were granted continuance? Draco leaned over toward Harry, he was about to whisper to him when one of the portraits coughed and the headmistress entered.

Headmistress Greengrass was wearing robes of amethyst, her hair done in a classic chignon and streaks of silver were prominent at the sides of her head. Her glasses were down around her neck on a small silver chain, wand in hand as she sat across from the three of them. Her eyes were drawn down at the desk when she spoke, "Well gentleman, I certainly thought we had settled all this a fortnight ago. How may I assist you?"

Draco cleared his throat, but Harry grabbed his shoulder to stop him from speaking. Instead it was James who stood up and spoke for them all, "I'm, well, we're here because we think Arianna Potter Davis and Julien Malfoy should be allowed back at Hogwarts. They, they should be given another chance I think."

Headmistress Greengrass holds up her hands, "It's already done. Miss Davis has written and said she doesn't wish to attend, and Mr. Malfoy has simply broken too many rules to be allowed back in. We cannot allow rampant bullying on our campus Mr. Potter. I'm glad you've seen your way to forgive them, but that doesn't erase their mistakes. They must suffer the consequences for their actions as you are all too aware. You are as of now, on probation yourself, for your reckless behavior in-"

Harry stands up and cuts her off, "James has been a model student since the incident. He is serving detention and his probation with aplomb. As for Arianna she has since changed her mind and would like to resume courses. I've spoken to her and she's ready to start Monday. Won't you please reconsider?"

Draco cleared his throat as a signal to Harry to continue, "Also, Julien has been without magic for weeks and has offered to volunteer at St. Mungo's with Arianna. They will go every weekend until school is done and then they will continue to go all summer." Draco's eyes bugged out of his head at that last statement. He agreed to volunteer duty for his only son but not the entire summer. He was only 12 for Merlin's sake. It seemed a bit excessive.

Draco breaks into the conversation, "Professor Greengrass, they are only children. Surely some measure of grace, of forgiveness is acceptable considering their maturity levels? I can assure you that Jules has been humbled and he's not been the same since this. He would be willing to serve any further punishment you deem necessary as long as he was able to attend Hogwarts. It's his only desire in the world." His voice broke a little toward the end and he felt a deep longing in his chest. A longing to see his only son happy no matter the cost. Who needed pride anyway? Begging might be his only recourse here.

James, still on his feet, joined in the chorus, "I do forgive them, and I know it doesn't make sense, but I actually miss them both. They're brilliant and they are missed by their classmates. I know that their friends here will help keep them in line. I mean, I know I will help them, anyway I can, or I mean, I can try at least." Harry grabbed his son's shoulder and pressed gently so that the young man would take a seat.

The Headmistress turned her chair around away from them and cast a small chart charm. It illustrated the costs of repairs from all of Julien and Arianna's misdeeds. She floated it up in the air higher, so all could see the illustration. "This," she said with a flourish, "is how much your progeny has cost us this past school year. Can I assume you will offset these costs?" Draco rolled his eyes, "Yes, anything for the school Headmistress." Harry simply nodded. With that the Headmistress stood up and motioned toward the door for them to leave. She addressed them as they left, "Send them both back on Monday. I shouldn't even have to say this yes? Please do make sure they are on their best behavior or they will not be coming back. You can make bank on that Mister's Malfoy and Potter. Good day."

* * *

After embracing his dad in a side hug James took off running down the hall. Draco casually leans against the wall staring at Harry. Harry smiles at him and offers a handshake. Draco accepted and said, "I don't owe you for this you know?" Harry nods, "Yes I know. You owe me for far more than this. Not that I'm keeping score."

Harry starts to speed up to leave but Draco shuffles faster to keep pace with him. They shoot each other the most awkward of looks as the walk together while not speaking. Arriving at the front doors, Harry becomes very annoyed at his uninvited tagalong. He turns to Draco, "I'm headed to the Forest, where are you going?" Draco clears his throat, "I, well, I'll walk with you." Harry starts to walk again and says, "Why are you walking with me though?" Silence fills the space between them as they both take in the scene outside. Draco deep in thought as he breathes the fresh air. Harry, uncomfortable and confused as to why he's being followed or whatever this is.

Once they reach Hagrid's hut and take in the small winter garden, Harry stops and turns to his strange acquaintance. Draco stares out at the Forest, his wand in his hand, "Are we going in, Potter?" Harry looks at him harshly, "This is kind of something I do alone, Malfoy." Draco tuts at him, "I need to talk to you though." Harry breathes out frustrated at him, "We can talk later. I need to go in there alone right now." Draco crosses his arms, "Why? Are you hiding something?" Harry rolls his eyes, "Fine. Come with me if you want. But you better put the wand away and don't make any sudden moves."

They enter the Forest and Draco steels himself. He's a strong capable wizard who is not afraid of the Forest where he nearly died more times than he cares to remember. No, he will not let his nerves slip beyond his control. He will face those demons and come out of the darkness in full and total control of….

BANG

BANG

Draco steps behind Harry and whispers, "What was that?" The tall blonde wizard tries not to cower behind the auror but fails as his eyes dart back and forth. Harry twists around to see his face and chuckles, "The centaurs won't hurt you Draco, or not much anyway." Draco looks indignantly at Harry, "Centaurs? That's why you're out here? Why would you want to talk to them? What did you lure me out here for? Potter!" Harry runs forward ignoring him and running up a small creek bed, he stops by a large clearing just out of Draco's line of sight. The aristocratically dressed wizard was not about to get all muddy in a creek to see the centaurs, he would just wait till Potter got back.

Harry approached the two centaurs cautiously and with a deep bow greeted them. The eldest stares at the two wizards with hard black eyes, he doesn't move his head but instead stomps his feet thrice. The hidden clutch of centaurs peaks out from their hiding places to show their strength. Harry steps forward half a step meeting the elder Centaur's gaze, "We come in peace to speak of the stars. What can be known? Or seen?" The graying Centaur huffs, "Wizards cannot see anything that does not work their will alone." Harry lowers his eyes in thought, "We seek knowledge only." He hesitates, wanting to say more but decides that silence can work to loosen tongues usually more than pretty words can.

The Centaur lowers his eyes to the Earth and then to the twilight sky above, "The circle has not ended but your circle is complete. You will graze your fingers on the tops of the grass furthest from your home to find that the path is scorched behind you. This is not about you Harry Potter. If it ever was, it is not now."

The centaurs who were hiding saunter off and the eldest stomps two times. Harry opens his mouth to speak but is cut off by Draco who yells, "Will he stay the path?" The black-eyed Centaur raises his eyes to meet Draco's and he scowls, "He will walk it for a time, or not. It is not clear, and neither are you." Draco bows, and Harry tries to speak but the Centaur is gone before he can breathe a word. Harry spins around on Draco and snarls, "Great. Just great. We learned nothing." Draco scoffs, "You actually are an idiot, aren't you?" Harry grabs him by the scruff and throws him to the ground. Draco laughs at him and stands to fix his clothes and brush the dust from himself, "He just said it's not written in stone. We can change things. They're not fixed yet." Harry ponders this and offers Draco his hand in apology, "I'm sorry I overreacted." Draco shakes his hand and snarls, "We've been working together for months you'd think that would count for something."

Harry walks out of the Forest side by side with Draco. They are both silent as they head up the path toward Hogsmeade. Draco begins to suck at his lip and sigh every once in awhile in deep ponderance. Harry is perturbed at his noises and his very presence. He's also trying to discern what it is that Draco could possibly be thinking so hard about. Finally, his curiosity gets the better of him, "Draco, what do you want to talk about? I can feel you thinking and it's unnerving." Draco grabs Harry's arm just as they hit the end of the Hogwarts wards and apparates them to the Ministry.

* * *

**The Ministry Offices of Draco Malfoy – a few minutes later**

Harry had been waiting for several minutes when Draco finally came back into the office bearing a bottle of silvery liquid and two stacks of paper. He walks behind his desk and retrieves a laptop. If Harry didn't know any better, he'd think he was about to sit through some sort of power point presentation.

Draco sits in the chair behind his desk and leans forward to stare at Potter. Now he was back to thinking of him as an antagonist, when they had been making such fine progress. Old habits really do die hard. Draco throws a stack of paper at him and lets Harry sift through it. "It's all from the Nott estate, why am I looking at this?"

Draco scoffs, "Oh come on. This is hard enough as it is for me."

Harry shrugs and holds up his hands as if to say, 'I have no idea what you're on about.'

Draco pulls out the vial of the memory from Nathalie and tosses it to Harry. He barely catches it in time but with a quick spell it lands safely in his pocket. Harry says, "So you looked at it." Draco hangs his head down, "I saw as much as I could handle. Up until Theo was standing over her with a knife. I couldn't watch anymore." Harry tutted once and said, "You want me to tell you what happens?" Draco shakes his head, "No. I want you to help me make sure that Julien never finds out about this." He opens the laptop, "I have test results from a muggle DNA company, it's some start up in America and Julien apparently sent them a sample."

Harry gets up out of his chair to stand beside Draco and look at the computer screen. He asks, "So, why would he do that?" Draco shakes his head again, "I haven't the foggiest. But we have his information now it might help us somehow, I don't know." Harry lets out a long 'hmmm' reminiscent of Hermione when she's deep in thought. Draco scoffs at him and glances sideways, "Can we go back to sitting across from each other with stern brows; you're standing to close." Harry rolls his eyes and takes up his seat again.

"You know," Harry starts, "this doesn't mean he's not your son, it's really unclear in the memory exactly what happened. I've got Pansy's too just recently, but I haven't viewed it yet. Can you get Anna's memories and then we can try to piece this all together?"

Draco stands up to pace around the room and rubs his arms to comfort himself. He almost starts out speaking at a whisper, "We don't need to do that. It's Theo. It has to be. It's why he killed himself, why he killed his father, it was Theo the whole time. Pansy was wrong before or maybe her mind was so distorted she couldn't remember anything clearly. I mean Tracey said she didn't know who or what it was. She wasn't even convinced it was a human who attacked her."

Harry stands up suddenly. Papers fly around his feet. He paces across from Draco who is looking very put out at the mess he's made. Harry replies, "You told me before at our first meeting that Tracey simply refused to talk about it. She refused to name anyone. She told me the same thing. Could it be that she always knew it was Theo? That she was trying to protect him by not saying anything? When did you send her to America what was the timeline exactly?"

Draco breathes out hard and looks sharp at Harry, "Wait a minute Potter. Absolutely not. I know where you're going with this."

Harry starts pacing hurriedly, "You said yourself you didn't collect enough evidence, or any evidence really. I have seen Pansy's and Nathalie's memories. Tracey's been sidelined or almost, forgotten in the case as far as we were concerned because we thought we knew what happened to her. What if she manipulated the memories of the other victims?"

"The only reason she would have to do that is to protect Arianna. But.." Draco gets cut off by Harry, "But Arianna isn't the one who needed protecting." Harry locks eyes with Draco as he continues, "It's always been Julien."


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: This is heavy on the **angst**. If you're not into angst you should skip the last half entirely. I'd also like to dedicate this chapter to Charles Bradley's cover of the Black Sabbath classic "Changes." It is a fantastic cover of a very under appreciated classic song.

* * *

**Hermione's flat – Wednesday**

"I don't understand, do you not trust Tracey? What are you trying to imply?" Hermione had entered her screeching state and was pacing around furiously throwing her hands in the air as she spoke, "She may have been trying to cover up for Theo and protect Arianna and herself! It was misguided yes, but she had her reasons surely..."

Harry walks up to Hermione as Draco sits back casually on the sofa reading the _Daily Prophet_. Harry grabs her arms in a soothing way, "Slow down Hermione. We trust Tracey of course we do. She may have just made things harder for us to reverse that's all. Now we don't know the exact ritual that may have been used with Nathalie, and we need to know exactly what happened, if she tampered with her mind then we may have to…" Hermione dropped her face, "Arrest her? You want to arrest her?"

"Of course, I don't want to arrest her," Harry starts to speak in a low growl, "I love her and Arianna but if she did this then she's made more than just a mess. Mind magic is sensitive and highly dangerous. The methods she uses for her therapy were unheard of even just two years ago, how did she test it? How did she develop it? Did she use victims to further her research?"

"No." Hermione shakes her head furiously, "Absolutely not. How can you even say such a thing?" Hermione throws herself down beside Malfoy in a fit of rage. Harry yells back at her, "I'm following the evidence. You think I was looking for this?"

At this Draco looks up from the paper and addresses Hermione although he speaks loud enough for Harry to hear as well, "I don't think Tracey did anything. It doesn't make any sense. Somehow it had to have been Theo. He did the attacks, the rituals, he erased parts of their memories, and he must have done a real number on Tracey. I'm with you Hermione." Hermione gave him half a smile and a head shake as she turned toward Harry, "Harry, why are you looking to blame Tracey?"

"I'm not looking," Harry stomps his feet like an overexcited toddler, "to blame anyone. It just fits." Hermione replies, "Barely. It barely fits. She went to America and by Draco's own account didn't even know about any further attacks! Even if she somehow got close to Nathalie why would she bother? From what Draco has said they barely even spoke to each other."

Harry hangs his head down, "Something is wrong with her. Something is off. I know it."

Hermione goes to stand next to her best friend consoling him, "She is different and so are you. I don't think you've stopped blaming her for leaving as much as you'd like too. You have to talk to her. You have to work this out. If not for your relationship together then for Arianna's sake. That poor girl has been through enough Harry." He starts to get emotional looking into Hermione's eyes and knowing how very right she is.

Draco coughs, "This is touching really, but Hermione can we get back to the estate and start working on curing my only son?"

* * *

**Malfoy Estate – Wednesday Late at night**

The two researchers were taking a break. They had determined the rites that would be needed to undo any soul binding that may be lingering on the surface of Julien's soul and/or body. Draco would search the boy for any markings and let Hermione know right away what he'd found. Hermione paused her eating to ponder aloud, "We're forgetting something. Draco, didn't you tell Harry there may have been one more victim?"

Draco's eyes were beyond strained. He'd never done this much reading and his shoulders were heavy as he replied, "Yes, I had thought there might be two more based on some things Theo had said about sevens. I thought, well Nathalie was one and I assumed that the other one wasn't found or wasn't actually a victim."

Hermione was starting to feel the strain of sleeplessness as she said, "We'll have to clarify that with Harry when he gets back."

Draco scoffed, "You mean if he gets back. Tracey might just destroy him."

* * *

**Tracey & Harry's Flat – Wednesday Late at night **

The house was so quiet, but the thoughts of its occupants made a low hum that threatened to overwhelm them both. They could hear each other even in the silence. The person who spoke first would, maybe, have the upper hand or they would be put in the offensive position throughout the conversation therefore never being able to make their actual point.

Tracey wasn't exactly sure what Harry's problem was at this moment, but she knew that a fight was brewing. So, should she take the offensive or defensive position. It was hard to know when all the details weren't available to her. She decided, as was in accordance with her British roots, that she would make tea. It kept her busy and hopefully gave her silent companion enough time to gather his thoughts and speak them out loud finally for Merlin's sake!

She places a teacup in front of him and he scowls at it. His glasses have shifted downward slightly, and he makes no move to correct their placement. Tracey sits down in front of him and gently pushes his hair off his forehead, and then with one finger pushes his glasses back up his nose. Harry stares at her as she makes these small caring gestures.

He finally gathers his courage and jumps into it, "Tracey did you do any sort of memory charms or tamper with any memories after your attack?"

Tracey blinks and shakes her head, "No."

Harry continues, "You were the only person who could have known about Theo and Nathalie."

Tracey leans back slightly, "Know what about Theo and Nathalie?"

Harry shakes his head in frustration, "That they were involved. That Theo attacked Nathalie. You also had access to all those people at the charity event whose minds were clearly tampered with,"

Tracey cuts him off with her hand and her words, "Whoa. Wait a minute. I gave you my memories of the day I was attacked you know I didn't go the event. And besides that,"

Harry jumps in, "I'm not saying you were there. It was obviously afterwards."

Tracey jumps up out of her seat, "Unbelievable. I actually cannot believe this. You think I was in any state to give a shit… And why would I do this? Why?"

Harry rubs the back of his neck but sits up straight, "Because you wanted to protect Theo. You wanted to protect Arianna, and to some extent yourself. I believe you must have thought you could erase the damage and pretend like it never happened. Isn't that how your therapy works? Just erasing the emotions like they aren't even there. When most of us have to deal with our shit every bleeding day!"

Tracey smacks her lips together and shakes her hands out and down, shaking them roughly, "Ugh. This is ridiculous. I have tried to explain this to you before. I don't erase anything. The therapy simply separates the emotion so it can be processed out. It leaves you feeling no connection to your memories and the trauma. What is this really about Harry?"

Harry looks at her sideways, "What do you mean? I suspect that you've tampered with people's," Tracey cuts him off, "You don't really think that. It's something else."

He takes a deep breath, he looks like a cornered animal at this point, because he's going to have to admit to something, he did not think he was ready too. When one is backed into a corner, or feels like they are, there is really only one way out. He couldn't even think as the words poured out of him. Straight from his heart and out of his mouth, "Something is off. Something is wrong with," he gestures his hands between them both, him sitting head hanging low and her standing with arms crossed, "with us. With this. It's not the same as it was. I don't feel like you're even really here. Or maybe it's me that's not here. What is that muggle saying? There's no 'there,' there. There's no us here. Can't you feel it?"

Tracey started to shake and fell down to the floor at his words. She took a shaky breath and said, "It's because I've been damaged beyond all repair." She breathes in deep and out slow, "I help people fix themselves for a living and I've never been able to fix what's broken inside me because there's nothing there! I've been hollowed out. I go through the motions, I might feel a twinge of something occasionally but I'm working on emotional muscle memory if I'm honest with myself. I can't give you anything anymore. And it's too late for us isn't it? Because I ran away" Her eyes were focused on a distant speck far beyond the wall.

Harry stood up and said, "No." Tracey's face was blank as her mind ran into overdrive, "I ran away and pushed everyone as far away from me as possible. I clung to Ari as if she were a life preserver. Then I pushed Theo away when he needed me most." She lost all sense of time and space as she thought of Theo, the memories threatening to break free, "Theo. Theo, I killed him. I did."

Harry had bent down to her level on the floor, he tried to pull her up to standing, "No. You didn't. Do you hear me? You didn't kill anyone."

She's pulls away from his grip as her whole body shakes, "I did Harry. You don't know what he was like. I tried to help him. I showed him how to heal his own mind, I gave him every resource I had at my disposal. He was so wonderful with Ari and I let him be a father figure to her for both of them to have someone in this world. And then I pushed him away. I pushed Ari into Hogwarts, so she could stand on her own away from me as much as I wanted to keep something close, keep something precious that was just my own I knew, I knew," She looks toward the door away from his gaze, "I knew she would hate me. The way everyone hates me. Because there is,"

Harry tries to look into her eyes, but she keeps looking away. Finally, he grabs her face and says sternly, "No."

Tracey continues and ignores his stare, "Because there is nothing worth loving here. Whoever you fell in love with she's dead. Leave now. Take yourself as far from me,"

"No." Harry grabs her shoulders and holds tight.

"You should go. You'll be happier. You can blame me for everything, I'm to blame anyway. Let me wallow and die alone like I deserve." Tracey removes herself from his grip and stands up straight.

"I can't blame Theo because he's dead. I can't blame you because it's not your fault. I know what it's like to lose everything you love; to be torn away from the world and have nothing but yourself. I wanted to blame you because then I wouldn't have to face the truth." Harry is standing further away from her now as he digs inside himself for the real emotions that he's kept away from everyone, even himself for so long. He says, "The truth is that I'm as much to blame as anyone. I look inside and I'm heartbroken and so fucking angry at myself for letting you go. I wasn't there for you and I knew that you were hurting. Somehow deep inside I knew. I pushed it away, all my feelings and I dove headfirst into a marriage I didn't want. I filled our home with as much love as I could, and it still wasn't enough for her because I never loved her the way I love you. I've never loved anyone the way I love you and now I finally understand why."

Hearing his words made Tracey's heart beat faster, she locked eyes with him and asked, "Why?"

"We're the same kind of broken inside." Harry replied moving closer to her, "We try to make everyone else happy at the cost of ourselves. We sacrifice everything we are to our families and our work and we take nothing for ourselves. And it's been killing both of us for years. So, I wanted to blame you for something, because I didn't want to face that this was what my life has become." Harry looks ashamed for his behavior, and how could he ever try to blame her or even himself for this horrible hand they were dealt? He continues, "That this is what I have become. But can you ever love a man like me? Because I can never love any woman the way I love you."

They grab onto each other and hold each other close. Closer than they've ever been before. They fall asleep in the living room with their limbs entwined the whole night.

* * *

**Malfoy Manor Library – Friday afternoon**

Draco was curled up in a chair and trying hard not to yawn as Hermione and Tracey went back and forth. Were they arguing? Were they debating? Or perhaps they were reconciling? It was hard to keep up. They had been at it for hours.

"If we lay down a blanket memory charm reversal, it could even work from a distance and then," Tracey had been going on and on about memory retrieval and recovery and Hermione was fed up, "It won't work like that. No. It can't." Hermione stood red-faced and shaking her head while Tracey casually paced the library returning books to their proper shelves. Tracey took the argument back up, "I'm sorry Hermione, but I have been studying mind magic for the past decade, all on my own mind you, and I have learned about some reconstruction techniques in the muggle world that have potential."

Hermione walked up to her and stood nose to nose, "Would you try them on yourself then? Since they seem to be oh safe and effective." Tracey scoffs, "Of course I would do that but it's incredibly complicated to work this sort of magic on one's self." Hermione scoffs back at her, "So you just want to experiment on innocents?" Tracey is a little put off at the accusation, "It would be with everyone's consent and full understanding of course Hermione, I am a Doctor and licensed to practice in Britain and America. I'm a professional in case you've forgotten." Hermione flushes in embarrassment, "Of course I haven't forgotten I just get very upset when it comes to mind magic."

Tracey laughs full and deep at that, "Mind magic squigs you out, but soul binding and blood curses don't even raise any hairs on your neck? Hermione, you are truly one of a kind." They both laugh and go back to organizing the mess. They had discovered the series of unbinding spells that would, hopefully, work to reverse any damage to the kids that may have been afflicted.

Now all they had to do was explain the whole thing to the kids and hope that everything would work out. Although Harry and Ron hadn't found the last victim, they were confident that they could go ahead with the unbinding spells and lay this all to rest finally.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

**Hogwarts – Last week of school**

Test results had been delivered to the students in every class and these last few days were spent in deep relaxation. Ari was in shock that she made it through her classes, all of them, with decent enough grades to move onto the next year. Julien had placed himself in the top ten of his class despite having missed several weeks, during which he couldn't even practice any magic. His potions scores were off the charts and they had raised his entire grade average up considerably. James had placed solidly in the middle of the pack and was proud to be there.

The sky outside was a bright blue and the study hall was brighter than they had ever seen it with all the windows opened and all the light just pouring in. It was a required period, but everyone was dying to just go outside. James was walking in between tables talking in whispers with groups of kids from every house.

Sat at the table furthest from everyone was Ari and Jules. They were practicing wandless magic under the table by levitating a ball back and forth to each other. To Jules' surprise Ari hadn't dropped the ball once yet, "You're getting good at this." Ari shot him half a scowl, "Don't act so surprised." Jules smiled at her just as James leaned down into his ear, "What are you two doing?" Jules losses focus and drops the ball which rolls out from under the table and into James Potter's feet. James picks it up, "Is this yours Ari?" Arianna responds with a tight-lipped smile, "Yes. May I have it back?" James tosses it back to her.

"Anyway," Julien rolls his eyes for Ari's benefit, "can we help you with something Sir?" James slaps Julien on the back and Julien winces at the 'friendly' gesture. James replies, "Just coming over to make sure that you'll be at my party over the summer. It's going to be quite a bash." Julien nods and does his best to put on that Malfoy heir properness and politeness, "I will be in attendance. Thank you for the invitation. Young Arianna will you be attending his soiree?" Arianna throws him a shrug and turns to James, "You know I'll be around all summer so…" James claps his hands, "Right! Of course! We'll see you at the Burrow." James spins around and heads out into the hall, greeting people as he goes.

Julien shakes his head and rolls his eyes. Arianna just blows out a huff of air, "He's not that bad Jules." He laughs outright at her, "Of course he's not. I just can't stand him." Ari sits forward in her chair and leans closer to him as she speaks, "You have to be nice to him. He's my brother now and," Julien cuts her off, "That is not why I'm being cordial. I don't want to get expelled again. As long as we're in school together I will play nice with any and all Potter's and Gryffindor's and whoever else." Arianna nods in agreement, "Right well. That's good. Because," Ari takes a deep breath and swallows hard, "I invited him to go to the amusement park with us." Ari shuts her eyes and peeks at Julien's expression, holding her breath. Jules smacks his hand on the table and gives her a very harsh look and through gritted teeth says, "That's fine. More the merrier."

* * *

**Ministry of Magic – Thursday**

Harry was organizing his office with Ron's help. They had filed away several boxes of evidence and Ron was walking out the office door to take them down to storage. Harry's assistant was busy at the filing cabinet outside the office and Harry himself was going through the sea of correspondence at his desk. He had delegated all his major cases to other Auror's so he could do this late spring cleaning. He really needed to get out of the field, it was taking its toll on him physically and mentally. Being paranoid about everyone and everything had become so second nature that he had suspected Tracey and Draco of somehow being behind the attacks or at the very least somehow being involved. He had worked it out with Tracey of course, and he seemed to have worked it out with Draco too. Now that he knew Julien was couldn't be Draco's son, it was clear that he hadn't known anything about Nathalie and Theo.

From the memory it had looked like Nathalie was plied with lots of poisoned alcohol and then subjected to some sort of blood rites. Against her will? It was unclear to Harry actually, because although she was distressed at first as the memory continued, she seemed to be more upset about the fact that Theo wouldn't speak to her or look at her anymore. Could it have been that she set up the ritual with Theo and he somehow became possessed and that's what had truly frightened her?

Hogwarts would be over tomorrow; he knew that Nathalie would be picking Julien up at the station. The young boy still insisted on staying with his mother. Arianna had asked to go with them, maybe Harry could convince Tracey to let her go for a few days and Harry could accompany her to the French estate. So deep in thought was Harry that he hadn't even noticed Ron was speaking to him until his hand fell down on his shoulder gave Harry a little shake, "Harry! Are you in there? Where did you go mate?"

Harry grins a little at his friend and says, "Will you look over the memories from Nathalie with me? Just one more time?" Ron rubs his face and murmurs, "Yeah. Fine. OK." Harry sets up the pensieve and looks through his desk for the correct little glass vials.

* * *

**Tracey Davis Ministry Office – Thursday**

Tracey's cramped little office was quiet today. She had no hope of ever keeping things tidy at home but here at work it was easier. Everything had its right place and it stayed there. Her teams' little foray into Hogwarts had not been a success. The Headmistress had something to do with that Tracey was sure because they weren't given an office, or office hours, or any time to go to the classes and meet with students. She had discussed it with the head of the department, and they had agreed to put that idea on the backburner for now. Maybe next year, or the year after.

Now, the work that she had been doing with veterans had been going splendidly. She was just looking over some of her notes and compiling them for her next major Ministry meeting. This was going to get them more funding for sure. The patients were experiencing more and better sleep, they showed greater focus at work and on small tasks, they were more open and communicative. They had also reported the calming techniques, even if they didn't need to use them, were helping with their flashbacks. This was a pretty small sample size of five veterans who were currently receiving three sessions a week with Tracey and her team.

Combining muggle methods with anything magical was still frowned upon by a lot of Ministry officials. This was the battle she was truly fighting. For some reason they believed that the Statute of Secrecy meant that they had to keep everything Muggle away from anything Magical. It made no sense when clearly these techniques worked on every human being no matter the trauma and no matter their magicality.

She was using more magic now than she ever had in her life. At first, she felt incompetent compared to her peers at the Ministry, but magic was like a muscle. The more your used it the stronger it got. Now all she had to do was hurry up through the rest of this week and get to the real magic work she'd been secretly craving to do. Unbinding dark souls trapped, undoing the dark rites, it was fascinating stuff. Hermione had truly opened her eyes to a whole new world. Now the wheels were spinning wildly.

Could you go into someone's memories and truly untangle them from their emotional core? That was what her work had always aimed to do, and it seemed like it did just that. There was no solid proof though. When you healed someone's mind you didn't always know exactly how the scar looked, or even where it was, so it was kind of a shot in the dark. Mainly the patient had to do all the heavy lifting. Moving unimportant thoughts away from where the heart of the injury lies.

But if you could see inside the mind, or even the emotional core itself? Well then you could take apart those strings that bind them, just like you would tear the runes of a blood rite off of a child inflicted with a dark soul binding curse. Could it really be possible?

The temptation to try this theory out on herself was making her palms itch. Even though she felt recovered from her traumas for the most part she had trouble connecting with people in a non-clinical sense. It was like she could painlessly pour her heart into people who would never stay. As soon as someone wanted to be a part of her life permanently? That's when the walls constructed themselves over her heart. The horrible thing was she thought she was better. She thought Harry wouldn't notice how dissociated she was from him. Clearly, that didn't work, and he wanted more. More than she could give right now, maybe. Maybe she just couldn't love anyone anymore. If she could have loved anyone, if anyone really deserved love in this world, it would be someone like Harry. Someone like Theo. Even someone like Draco, to some extent.

The clock strikes five pm with a gentle little bell sound. Pansy Parkinson knocks on the door two seconds later. "Knock knock," she says playfully, "Aren't you ready to get out of here?" Tracey rubs both hands into her neck massaging slightly as she replies, "I have a couple more things. Do you want to take a seat and give me five minutes?" Pansy purses her lips together and nods. Tracey notes that she's looking worn out as well.

A chair appears out of thin air and Pansy plops down, her body sliding into the chair with force. "The kids will be home this weekend, right?"

Tracey keeps her head as she says, "Yes. You know that. We're doing the thing with Hermione and the kids this weekend."

Pansy snaps her head up in shock, "That soon? I didn't know you were READY, ready. I just thought you were, almost ready or something."

Tracey's chair squeaks as she shifts, "The sooner we get it sorted the better, yeah?"

"Tracey, how are you holding up with all this though? I mean, it's a lot. Theo…" Pansy's hands come out to reach for Tracey across the desk. Tracey interrupts her, "Theo is gone. Do I think about him every day? Yes. Will I dwell on it? No. I can't bring him back."

Pansy shakes her head, "That's not what I'm saying. Let me finish. You are a terrible listener. How do you even do this job?" Tracey laughs at that. Pansy continues, "You haven't taken anytime for yourself to really heal Trace. You've been helping Ari, and Harry, and Draco, hell, I heard you even went to seek out the Ice Queen Nathalie and offer her support!"

Tracey freezes. How did Pansy know about her visit with Nathalie? Why did she care?

"Don't go all tense on me." Pansy holds Tracey's gaze with steely empathy, "Trace. I talk to Nathalie, and Anna, on occasion. It's not a big deal ok?" Tracey nods once and places her work in her desk drawer. The sound of the drawer slamming shut makes Pansy wince slightly. "Tracey. Do not get all Mother Superior on me."

"Why does she talk to you and not me? Why does she hate me so much?" Tracey asks.

Pansy lets out a soft breath, "She was in love with Theo. I don't think she has ever loved anyone else, not even her son." Tracey lowers her head to her desk with a soft thump and whispers, "I know that." Pansy continues, "And Theo never loved anyone but you and little Arianna." Tracey rolls her head back and forth, her eyes open and staring at the woodgrain of the desk, the tears she'd been holding back, the pain behind the levee, it was breaking. She took a deep breath in, very slow and willed her lungs to stop burning, willed her throat to stop closing shut. It was too late. Her heart was slamming fast against her ribs and a sharp cry of sorrow burst forth from deep inside her, "I know," she cried, "I think I loved him as well. But not enough."

Across from her desk a chair squeaked. Two warm arms came around her and squeezed. Pansy whispered, "I know."

* * *

**The Burrow – Friday**

The house was in complete chaos when Ginny arrived, but, what else is new? Everyone was meeting up this weekend to celebrate the end of another school year and really, they all needed a party. Little Lily had been spending almost every night with Grandma recently since Ginny was back and forth all over the place, to the Manor, to Hermione's horrible flat, to work more than she'd like. Ron stepped out of the floo just after her looking more dreadful than normal. "How's it going Ron? You look like shite." Ginny reached out a hand to dust her brother off. He firmly gripped her wrist and shook her off, "Thanks Gin. You're not looking so hot yourself you know?" Ginny grimaced and Ron rolled his eyes making his way to the kitchen. Surprises never cease.

Ron scrapes a chair across the floor and tucks into some leftovers as Ginny stands across the kitchen from him her arms crossed. With a mouthful of food he mumbles, "Wot?" Ginny stares hard at him and shakes her head, "Are we all completely mad or what?" Ginny looks at him seriously. Ron stares back, a bit disconcerted he swallows and replies, "We are slightly mad. Not completely."

"Everyone else," Ginny begins pacing, "seems completely fine with it! It's mental!" Ron nods vigorously and chews even more so. He opens his mouth, possibly to speak, but Ginny cuts him off arms flailing as she speaks, "I mean, do they even think of the repercussions? We could seriously kill these kids. Separate their souls from this dimension entirely. Or send them to a hell scape. Or worse just leave them as empty zombie. It could leave them brain damaged! Or magically damaged! Or,"

"GIN." Ron stands up and grabs his sister almost shaking her, "We know. OK? We all know."

Ginny sags in his grasp, "Then why is no one talking about it?"

Ron takes a deep breath, his face grim, "Because the alternative is worse. And you know it. One child, or all of wizarding kind, Gin? That's what were up against here."

Ginny shakes her head, her face set in determination, "No. You don't know that. None of us know that for certain."

"Is it worth the risk?" Ron looks deep into his sister's eyes as she shakes her head no. He walks calmly over to the kitchen cupboard, opens the door with his wand and wordlessly levitates a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. He sets his wand on the table and pours two shots by hand. Ginny salutes her brother silently and tips back her glass. Ron does the same as they sit in heavy silence.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: This is the second to last chapter! Thank you all for reading. Just a reminder this story will end ON A CLIFFHANGER. It is an OPEN ENDING by design. If that bothers you please leave now. I don't know if I'll ever do a sequel but maybe someday? My next project is the outlining process so stay tuned! Thank you all so much!

* * *

Chapter 23:

**Nathalie Malfoy Estate – Saturday morning**

Draco was reading _the Prophet_ in the kitchen of the old French estate house as if it were a completely normal day and as if he didn't have a care in the world. On the inside however, Draco was tense. His guts were bubbling, audibly, and his hands were threatening to start shaking. Now was the time to tell Julien that he was not his biological son. Draco had wanted Nathalie to be there with him, to help explain things, but she flat out refused. She was now out in the gardens surrounded by a plume of cigarette smoke. Bad habits die hard.

He was avoiding his son and he could admit that to himself. Going over what he would say in his mind, he decided that just brutal honesty was really the only way to go about it. As he was gathering up the strength to set the paper down and walk across the house to Julien's room the young boy entered the kitchen.

Julien was still in his nightclothes and his hair was a disaster. It reminded Draco of James Potter's unruly mop. He was also, to his surprise, wearing glasses. He dropped the paper and addressed his son a little loudly, "Where did the glasses come from?"

Julien spins around to face his father as he replies, "Oh. They're reading glasses. I don't know. A professor at school recommended them when I explained I had started using the computer more. They block the light or something like that."

Draco walks over to his son and puts his hand out in question, "May I see them?" Jules hands them over and quickly makes his way to the fridge, pulling out a glass container of orange juice and pouring it directly into his mouth. As Draco inspects the glasses, he also observes his son's behavior out of the corner of his eye, without looking at him he says in a scolding tone, "Put that down and get a glass. You are not an animal." Jules puts the container in the fridge wipes his mouth and mutters an apology. Draco hands him his glasses back with a mild 'hmm.'

Both of them sit at the small kitchen table. The look at each other for a few moments before Draco speaks.

"I have something very serious to discuss with you. Well, maybe serious is the wrong adjective. Something that may be potentially upsetting."

Jules breathes in deep and says in a playful way, "What? Like you're not my real Dad or something?"

Draco gasps, "How did you know?"

Julien laughs heartily at his father's wounded face, "Dad! You can't be serious?"

Draco gulps, "Well, I am serious. We didn't know for sure of course but some evidence has come to light and…"

Julien scratches his head, "That doesn't make sense."

"I know it's very confusing," Draco makes to reach for Julien's hand, but the boy stands up suddenly, "Wait!" Julien runs out of the room and Draco follows him.

They arrive at Julien's bedroom which is a complete disaster. Draco looks outright horrified at the state of it, "Your mother lets you live like this?" Julien ignores him and digs through the paperwork on his desk. He lifts up his laptop and pulls out a yellow folder. It looks like something from St. Mungo's. Draco doesn't like the look of this, "Did you steal that from the hospital? While you were doing community service? Julien?"

Julien hands him the folder, "Just read it." Draco takes it and casts him a disparaging look. He watches his father's face scrunch up horribly as his lips move softly while reading. Julien breaks the silence, "It says that you're my Dad."

Draco sits down on his son's bed staring at the wall. How can this be? "Are you sure you read these results, correctly?" Draco asks. The boy nods his head in the affirmative and inquires, "Why did you think you weren't my Dad anyway?"

His father fires back, "Why did you run a DNA test on yourself? Or a paternity test for that matter?"

Julien replies naturally with a shrug, "Because Ari was doing one and the science is… interesting. It could mean a lot to the wizarding world at large."

Draco looked at his son with a little bit of awe in that moment. He had no idea that Jules cared about the wizarding world in general, or DNA or anything like this at all. What else did he not know about him?

"You look shocked." Jules says. Draco nods, "Yes. It's a good shocked, I think. Now though, I need to tell you about what happened before you were born. It's not going to change anything, just so were clear. You are my son, I will always protect you and.. love you. No matter what we will get through this together."

Julien doesn't know if he should laugh or cry at this point. He's never seen his father this nervous before. "What is it Dad?"

Draco begins, "Your mother was attacked before we were wed. Theo was involved in the attack." He took a deep breath to go into the next bit, "It had something to do with dark blood magics. Have you read about those before?"

The boy nodded slowly and swallowed hard. He had been reading about them just this morning, but he didn't really want his Dad to know that.

His father continued, "This was very twisted stuff Jules. Unfortunately, it may have affected you; your very soul, as well as others."

Julien lowered his head, and whispered, "Ari." Draco nodded solemnly his eyes conveying more empathy than they ever had before. He dropped down to the floor in front of Jules and said softly, "We found a way to undo the curse. We've been working on a way to help both of you." He brings his arm around his son who still has not met his eyes, "It's going to be alright Jules," he embraces him gently.

* * *

**Malfoy Manor – Saturday**

Hanging around Malfoy Manor without Julien is just bizarre. Arianna feels like she doesn't know what to do or where she can even go without her friend. Narcissa had made a point of giving the girl her own room this time since she was 'practically family' as she put it. Arianna was grateful because sharing a room with her mother was not as fun as it used to be. She liked her private space, especially after living in a dorm full of dithering witches for months. She decides that the gardens are probably the safest place to explore without a guide, so she grabs her skateboard, casts a muffilato on the wheels, and skates down the hall toward the staircase.

Before she can get down the stairs, she hears several fireplace pops in a row. Perhaps Julien has come back with Draco? She silently creeps down the stairs, she casts a disillusionment charm just in case so she can scare Jules properly in front of everyone if it is him who's come though the floo.

When she gets to the bottom, she sees the whole gang crowded around someone who's sitting down in a big white chair. Ron is at the back of the group right next to Pansy. Hermione and Ginny are standing behind the chair and whomever is in it. Tracey was leaning against the arm of the chair, touching whomever was sitting. Harry was in front of the person directly, standing tall and asking questions that Ari just couldn't make out.

Arianna pushed her skateboard gently behind the staircase. Then she very carefully moved towards the group applying herself to the wall across from the fireplace, close enough now to hear, and hopefully, far enough away to not be noticed. Most people had their backs to her except for Ginny and Hermione, but they weren't looking in her direction just now. Arianna held her breath as she heard Draco speak in a highly agitated tone, "I am trying to tell you, stop interrupting me!" Tracey softly says to Harry, "It's not an interrogation Harry. Let him talk." Harry moves off to the side to stand next to Tracey at that and Hermione angles herself closer to Draco and the other arm of the chair. Ginny stands with her brow furrowed in thought searching her girlfriends face for clues. Pansy shakes slightly next to Ron and he places his arm around her waist.

"He's my son." Draco says in disbelief. "I don't understand it either. He did this test at St. Mungo's apparently," Harry cuts him off, "He used their equipment himself or…?" Draco shakes his head and looks at Tracey, "Ari helped him forge some paperwork." Draco and Tracey half-smile at each other. Harry scoffs, "Unbelievable. Why? Why would he?" Draco smacks his lips, "He was curious about ancestry of wizarding families. He had access to me, so he tested his blood and mine. The results are all right here. I'm his father. It makes no sense."

Hermione grabs the paper with the results out of Draco's hand. Draco frowns, but Harry just starts firing off questions, "The memory we saw from Nathalie, was fake? Or Theo did the blood ritual, but she was already pregnant at the time. That must have been what happened with Arianna as well." Harry paces to the fireplace and stares deep in thought.

Ron jumps onto his best friends train of thought, "Hang on a minute. I thought you said it didn't matter who the father or even the mother was that once the rituals were complete the child became like hollow inside or some other thing. What was it Hermione?"

Hermione was pinching her bottom lip staring at the paper, concentrating. She barely turns her head to answer Ron, "That's right. The child's soul would be dispelled, since it wasn't connected in the first place, or rather, it shouldn't be connected to this realm once the final rites are achieved the dark lord's remnant could be, in theory, connected to that child. It wouldn't be like a horcrux though, because they would be fully possessed by whatever remains of Tom Riddle."

Tracey is staring at Draco but not with intention. Her mind had gone blank and there was a faint buzzing in her ear. It was like a song she had heard in a dream, and now she was hearing it in real life. So familiar, yet so different from memory. She hears a faint gasp coming from the wall opposite the fireplace. She sees a shifting of the wallpaper and knows that Arianna is there. She searches the staircase, and then looks toward the back door. Motioning her head at the space where she thinks Arianna stands, she believes she sees the slight bending of a head as the blur moves toward the staircase.

Tracey whispers to Pansy as she gets up from her perch, "I think Ari is here. Cover for me." Pansy nods and moves to sit next to Draco on the arm of the chair. Pansy grabs Draco's hand, "Don't worry. We'll figure this out." Tracey walks to the back door to the gardens and opens it wide waiting a few moments before shutting it behind her and a silent bespelled Arianna.

Harry stares at the fire as Ginny moves beside him. She leans into him knocking his shoulder, "What are you thinking, eh?" Harry shakes his head, "I think we need that bloody book." Ginny sighs.

Ron walks over to Harry and Ginny, past a Hermione who may as well be on another planet she's so deep in thought. He stops at Harry's side and places his hand on Harry's shoulder, "Isn't this a good thing though, in the end, Draco is Julien's Dad so that means he can't be a vessel, right?" Harry looks up at Ron, "No. That's not what it means. Ari and Jules are the same. Conceived in the same way, cursed with the same dark magic, they even have similar personalities. We don't know which one of them needs the unbinding. Hermione and I were hoping, well not hoping, but you know what I mean, since Ari was my daughter by blood, that meant that Jules was the one who needed the full curse breaking. We could focus on him and just do protective spells on Ari. Now though, we need to do two full blown unbinding rituals. And they are not easy to just whip up. We only have enough potions for one."

Ron bites his lip, "Merlin, well, why wouldn't you make extra? I mean you must have known it was a possibility. Blimey Harry." Ginny punches her brother from the opposite side of Harry and mouths the words, 'shut up' to him. She draws a deep breath, "We will make it work Harry. We can unbind Ari this time and then Julien the next. No problem, right?"

Draco stands up suddenly, "What do you mean Julien next? Why wouldn't Julien be first? We still have more evidence that he's the one in real danger." Harry turns to face Draco, "We're doing both of them, equally. We won't sacrifice anyone's safety Draco." Draco exhales and casts a scowl toward Ron. Ron fights to keep his tongue from sticking out of his mouth at the git.

* * *

It's late afternoon and the garden is slightly chilly. The sky is gray, and hints of the dim sun peek out from behind the clouds. It smells of turned over earth and wet grass, with a hint of sharp mixed floral scents. Tracey looks around and spots a glimmery shape just above a still skateboard. She casts a finite just above where Ari's skateboard is standing out in the garden. The gravel shifts beneath her feet as she approaches her daughter, "Alright?" Arianna nods and casts her face down, her sheet of hair falling thickly as she gently pushes her skateboard back and forth across the gravel.

"It's not easy to skate on the gravel, is it?" Tracey inquires. Arianna takes in a sharp breath, "It's not easy but…" The girl shrugs and looks up at her mother. Tracey sees burning questions in her eyes, but also, fear. Perhaps fear of the answers, or just fear of the unknown. She phrases her next question carefully, "Do you want to ask me about what you overheard? Anything at all, I will explain to the best of my knowledge."

Arianna scoffs, "I'm sure you will Mom." The young girl rolls her eyes and continues, "We were both cursed before we were even born? But how? I don't…" Tracey grabs her daughter's hand and squeezes, "I explained I was attacked before you were born and Mrs. Malfoy, Nathalie, she was as well. Actually, she was attacked before me. We are doing everything in our power to make sure you and Julien are safe, Arianna, do you believe me?"

She looks at her mother with hard eyes and determination, "I believe you, Mom. I know that all of you have been working at this at for a while now. I'm not blind. I just didn't think it was that serious." Arianna swallows hard, "I thought it was just me as well and now… is that it? Just me and Julien, right?"

Tracey has a thoughtful look as she replies, "We don't know for sure. But I think so, yes. Just you and Jules." She embraces Ari in a soft hug and whispers in her hair, "It's going to be alright. We will make everything alright." Ari doesn't know if she believes her, but she wants too.

* * *

Back inside the Manor everyone's taken seats around the cozy entry room. Overstuffed white sofas are filled with silent witches and wizards who occasionally let out sighs of exasperation, thoughts fly around randomly, and many people are mumbling to each other as well as themselves.

When Narcissa Malfoy walks in on the scene she scowls and tuts. Then she summons the house elves to set out full tea service carts at the appropriate intervals. She silently pushes teacups into everyone's hands and offers small bits of food. Everyone politely takes the proffered tea and treats. Now munching in silence Narcissa counts to five silently in her head, composing herself for a good group scolding.

"Sitting around sulking never won any battles. You all should see yourselves. It looks as though you've given up." Many people scowl at her, some start to raise cries of protest but Narcissa simply holds up a pale slender hand to quiet the crowd, "I know that it's serious, and dangerous, and lives are at stake. Aren't they always with you lot? Indeed, this is no way to go about it, whatever it is. It's only my home, I don't know why anyone would tell me anything." Draco gets up to explain to his mother but she cuts him off and shoots a silencio at him. She continues, "Regardless, I want you all to go to your respective homes. To take a break and come back tomorrow with fresh ideas. I'm assuming this has a time limit whatever it is?" Several people nod yes but Hermione just purses her lips, Harry takes up the leader role to answer for the group, "We don't know actually Mrs. Malfoy." Narcissa regards him coolly and replies, "Well no matter. You all need a change of scenery. So, off with you."

At that they dispersed. Ron and Pansy left together saying goodbye to everyone quickly. Hermione and Ginny were talking softly in the corner when Draco approached Harry to speak, "Harry, thank you for what you said." Harry blinks and tries to recall, "Well, yes of course. We're not leaving anyone behind Draco." Draco gives him a tight smile and says, "Are you taking Ari to the burrow? I need to get back to Nathalie's and tell Jules everything has been postponed." Harry nods, "Yes, I think we'll still be at the Burrow." Ginny overhears him and butts into the conversation, "If you're going to the Burrow then Hermione and I will just…" Hermione cuts her off, "No. I think we should stay here at the Manor. I need to go over some things. Draco do you think your mother will mind?" Draco turns to Hermione and replies, "C'mon we'll go talk to her together." They head off and Ginny and Harry are left standing alone in the room with the fire crackling much louder than it was before. Harry is deep in thought and Ginny lets out a very heavy groan. Harry stares at her as she stretches and scowls at nothing in particular. "Life, eh? It's rough." Ginny remarks. Harry merely nods in agreement.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

**The Burrow – Sunday morning**

The bright blue sky was dappled with white fluffy clouds and streaked with smoke outside the rickety old wizardly house of Weasley. The sounds of laughter fill the fresh summer air as James, Lily and Arianna race around on broomsticks with each other. Molly sits outside a safe distance away to observe and also, to be close enough to administer any healing charms should the need arise. Being a grandmother suited her just fine.

Cutting close to a big oak tree Ari grabs off a dangling branch and tries to throw it at James who is speeding up behind her with force. He deftly dodges the branch and squeals victory as he reaches Arianna's broom and yanks it from behind. Ari grips her broom tight and tries to kick James' arm off. He laughs and let's go of her. Lily circles around underneath their great height squinting at them as she yells, "All right, Ari?"

Ari shifts quickly and heads down to Lily in a slow circle, the wind whipping her hair into a tangle. She yells back at the young girl, "Your brother tried to steal my broom!" Lily aghast exclaims at James, "Not nice James! I'm telling!" Ari turns her head around in search of the boy but she doesn't see him. She motions at Lily to move back slightly as she lands on the ground. As her feet touch the ground, she turns to the younger girl and grins, "It's alright Lily. We'll get him back."

James jumps out from behind a tree and startles the girls. He grabs Lily before she can run away, and she squeaks loudly in his ear. He places her down on the ground smiling. He turns to Ari and says, "You're not allowed to get me back, remember?" He winks at her and she frowns and sticks out her tongue at him as she says, "Let's let it go, ok?" He shrugs at her and heads into the house. Lily walks up beside Ari and grabs her hand as she says in a soft voice, "Ari, we can get him back later ok?" Ari wrinkles her nose and nods affirmatively.

Harry strides out into the garden just in time to see the girls walking hand in hand. It is a moment he will definitely be saving in his private pensieve. Something small to treasure, like all his little memories. They bring him comfort and remind him of what's real. The girls spot him staring and Lily runs up to give her Dad a hug. Ari hangs back awkwardly observing and gives Harry a wave. Harry waves back and asks Lily, "Lily, will you go inside and ask Molly for a snack? And don't forget to wash up!" Lily runs to the back door and grabs Molly as they go inside together.

Now father and daughter stand in front of each other looking all around the garden and appraising their own feet in earnest. Harry scruffs up the back of his head and sighs. Ari watches the motion with a. wrinkled brow. She shrugs at him as she says, "I overheard what everyone was saying. I mean, I know that you have a counter curse of whatever, Miss Granger said something about it. She said it would work." Harry nods and listens as the girl continues, "I'm not worried about it," she hesitates, "Dad." Harry's face breaks out in a grin, "You're braver than any of us adults then. I wish I had more reassurance to give you, but this is dangerous Ari. You could be hurt, your magic could be destroyed, it's not something that's ever been done before as far as we know. I want to know if you want this or not. Do you want us to perform the counter spells and rites on you? Or do you want us to keep working and waiting?"

Ari breathes in deep and shuffles her feet, a breeze catches her long hair and flings it into her face, she pulls the offending strand away and shifts away from Harry. She replies, "It's not really my choice though."

Harry stares at the girl. She is astute that's plain. "No," he starts to say, "it's not really a choice at all." Ari grabs his hand, "If I don't do this, I could die. And if I do it, I could die. But it's less likely right? So, it's the lesser of two evils, right?" Harry nods and grips her hand tight, "I feel like I've just gotten to know you and now we—" Ari pulls his arm, "Please don't, Dad." They embrace in a hug and Harry walks her back inside the house. He grabs her tight and whispers, "Love you Ari." Ari smiles and enters the warm house with her Dad.

* * *

**Nathalie Malfoy Estate – Sunday Night**

In the dead of night, the slowly dying embers of the great fireplace in the main hall of Nathalie's estate, flared to life in great green flames. Out steps a cloaked Arianna Potter Davis. She cast a quick muffilato on herself and a disillusionment charm and then ran quickly down the hall. There was only one house elf and they were being kept busy by Jules if the plan were going correctly, he should be in his room right now. They would meet outside in the backyard under cover of darkness.

Arianna speeds down the halls and carefully stops before all passageways or doorways to make sure she isn't seen or heard. Just as she reaches the backdoor through the kitchen, she feels a presence at her back. She slowly turns around and finds nothing there. Taking a deep breath in she reaches her hand out for the doorknob. Her hand is grabbed and yanked roughly to the side, Ari screams "AH!" A hand roughly covers her mouth as an unseen Julien Malfoy leans over her and whispers in her ear, "You're impossibly loud. Do you know nothing of stealth?" Arianna hits him over the head with her wand and elicits a soft 'ow' from the mischievous Malfoy. He laughs softly as they step outside.

A fire has been lit in a good-sized fire pit. Jules stokes the flames and drops a book from his robes out onto the ground. He crouches down near the fire and beckons Ari to sit next to him. He slowly reads the words in the text out loud. Ari is watching Julien read and twiddling her wand in her hand, she sees the wand movements that Jules is using and follows his hands, copying him in turn. She leans over the book and starts to mouth the words that he is now saying out loud in full voice. He closes his eyes and repeats them over and over. Ari joins in, her wand waving in the pattern that Jules' hands are making, following the books instructions. She closes her eyes, and Jules stares at the fire. It starts to heat up and roar even further into the sky. The flames lick out toward Ari and Jules pulls her gently back away from the flame. They stop their enchanted trance and gaze into the fire.

Jules pulls out his wand and raises his arm with a silent invitation for Ari to stand and join him. Before they start their incantation for real this time Ari, looking at the flames, says to Jules, "What will happen to us if this works?" Jules turns to her and his eyes seem to be full of black as he replies, "We will be whole." Arianna swallows hard and nods. She raises her wand and they begin to speak. It's soft at first and then crescendos with the flames. Her skin feels like it's on fire. She keeps her wand arm steady though as she incants.

Jules' face is motionless as he moves his wand in the practiced motions speaking deeply and assuredly. He never moves from his spot closest to the fire. Arianna shifts back slowly, not wanting to get burned. Jules seems to be in his own world as he rushes ever faster through the words, the flames begin to pull back, and the fire dies completely with a sudden rush of wind, or spirit.

Arianna rifles through her robes and pulls out a small glass container which holds a bright orange potion. She drinks half and hands it silently to Jules who drinks the rest without a word. It's so dark outside she can't see his expression, but she hears him mumble a fire making spell at the spot where the large fire raged. A small fire lights there, and he moves off to the side to light a few smaller fires, lighting up the circle where they stand in the middle.

He grabs the ends of Arianna's robes and pulls them up. Then he removes his own and pushes up his long sleeve black jumper. Arianna stares at his newly revealed skin which is covered in runes. She stares wide eyed at him as he traces the runes with his fingers. Pulling up the bottom of his sweater to reveal more markings on his chest. Arianna mimics him and pulls her sweater completely off. She now stands with just her sleeveless undershirt on, in the warmth and glow of the fire she sees similar runes tracing her own skin. Her heart beats uncontrollably as she shakes. Julien is twirling in the night air as he smiles at the moon. Ari gulps and stares down at her arms, so different from before yet somehow the same. Just as fear starts to take control of her senses Jules grabs her shoulders and tilts her head up to meet his eyes as he stands only two inches taller than her now, her eyes are filled with unshed tears. "Ari," he says, "we're free now. Together there's nothing we can't do." Arianna smiles tightly at him and nods as soft tears fall down her cheeks.

* * *

**Malfoy Manor – Monday night**

A loud clattering wakes Arianna from her nap. She's back at Malfoy Manor and it's all brighter now. Everything looks fresh and new. She supposes she has new eyes now. No one has noticed yet, not even her mother or father. Mr. Malfoy had said she looked tired and told her to take a nap while the adults prepared the rituals. She gladly agreed. Jules had been helping them prepare as well, he seemed full of energy after their secret night, where as she was just completely drained.

She gets up and stretches, letting out a large yawn as she rolls out of the impossibly comfortable mattress. She lets her feet dangle off the side, hearing the muffled voices outside her door she can feel the heightened energy coming off the house in waves. Everyone is on edge except the two people who should be the most nervous. Somehow, they had done it, and saved their own magic, their own lives. Arianna had never been prouder or more pleased with herself, her smile was growing wider at the knowledge. She knew she would have to reign that in though, couldn't go facing your doom with a smile plastered on your face, now could you?

* * *

Jules was humming to himself while he placed the runes in the pattern carefully laid out by Miss Granger. A soft little muggle tune that Ari had called an 'earworm' which, was actually a very distressing image if he thought about it too much. Shaking his head slightly and smiling as he worked, he tried to remember what fear felt like. He would have to summon all his stoic training in order to appear as sedate as possible at the proceedings. He wasn't a good enough actor to pull off straight fear, but stoicism was owned by Malfoy's and he could pull that off.

* * *

Hermione stood in the center of the Malfoy library pinching her lips off and mumbling to herself. Her hair was a disaster and her clothes were stained with potions and ash. She shook her head at nothing in particular as Ginny handed her a cup of hot tea. She bade her, "Sit. Hermione please sit for one moment. Your pulsating nerves are vibrating the walls for pity's sake." Hermione gently takes the cup and follows Ginny to the small couch. "Maybe we should do them both outside just in case something happens, or maybe," Hermione starts to ramble and Ginny cuts her off, "No. Absolutely not. Stop it." Hermione scowls at her but Ginny looks at her with soft eyes, "Please. We've prepared everything to the best of our abilities. Everything is set. Take a deep breath with me." Hermione tries to relax her face and breathe in with Ginny. It's a start at least.

Harry and Tracey enter the library to check on the two witches progress. They know that it's only minutes before they start and everything will either change for the better, change for the worse, or not change at all. Tracey is secretly hoping for the latter. Harry squeezes her tightly and whispers in her ear, "It will be OK. I promised, didn't I?" Tracey gives him a quizzical look and sighs, "It's not going to get any better if we don't try, anyway." Harry pushes her hair back from her face which has fallen out of its haphazard bun, "Such an optimist." Tracey laughs through the tension and runs her hands up and down his back in lazy circles.

Arianna enters the scene and looks around sheepishly. She waves at Hermione and Ginny on the couch and then stands next to her parents. They both bring her into their hug and hold on tightly. Ari breaks the hold and says a little too loudly, "So are we ready then?" Harry throws an arm over her shoulders and walks her into the rune circle.

* * *

Draco has ruined his brand-new boots walking in circles in the gravel outside. He's chewed his thumbnail clean off and has beat a permanent circle around the runes. The crunching sound is starting to annoy Jules and he sighs slightly while casting a glance at his father. Julien has taken his place in the circle and can't reach out to or react to his Dad properly, but just that small sigh says volumes to the Malfoy patriarch. 'Back off Dad, I got this,' is what it says. Draco smiles tightly at his son and glances at his ancient pocket watch.

Ron and Pansy shift closer together outside the circle and stare at Draco. They dare not breathe. The air is so thick with tension and desire. Need, really, the need of a father to save his only son. It almost has Pansy crying, as her shoulders tense up and she breathes in shakily. Ron holds onto her tightly and tells himself that he will definitely not be crying no matter what happens.

Draco stops in front of his son just outside the circle and begins to speak very softly. He raises his wand and beckons Ron to step to his left side in the same motion. Ron scrambles on the gravel and steps next to Draco, holding out a silver knife to the man's arm. They both lock eyes with Julien who calmly walks to the edge of the circle and holds out his hand. Ron cuts into Draco's skin and then swiftly nicks the boys wrist, two trickles of blood pool on their skin. Father and son stare at each mumbling the same words as they turnover their blood to the circle. Julien feels a pulling on his skin and lets out a loud hiss. Draco continues mumbling but his face shows a flicker of protective concern. Jules barely nods his head in reassurance that he is indeed alright.

* * *

Tracey holds Harry's hand so tight that his knuckles crack and bruise under the pressure. They are both staring intently and Arianna who has just finished saying the words and the bloodletting. Harry let's go of Tracey and grips his left arm where the blood has stopped flowing and Tracey looks to Hermione for any sign of confirmation. Hermione merely stares at the runes blank faced. There was no 'whoosh' no wind, no fire, no spirit. Could it have worked? Perhaps. In Hermione's limited knowledge and experience with ancient magics usually there was at least a smattering of pomp and flame. Ginny stood at the farthest edge of the room brow furrowed, it didn't feel right to her either.

Just as Tracey was about to open her mouth to ask if she could perform a healing spell on Harry, the wind picked up. It lifted Arianna up inside the circle and cradled her. Ari smiled briefly, clearly not in distress as some of the magic licked over her from head to toe. Actually, it felt more like a small dog sniffing at a hand, Ari thought. The wind then set her down outside the circle. She sat on the ground and looked up at her mother for approval. Tracey smiled at the girl and fell down beside her to give her a side hug. Harry held out his wand to first heal Ari's cut and then his own. She mumbled a soft 'thanks' and then let out a huge yawn. Hermione laughed behind them as she cried with relief.

* * *

**The Burrow – James Potter's Birthday Party – One Week Later **

Everyone was at the Burrow to celebrate James Potter's twelfth birthday. Even Narcissa Malfoy has joined in the festivities and is currently regaling little Lily Potter with tall tales of Morganna the Fierce. Ginny isn't quite sure what to make of the picture but shrugs her shoulders, if Lily is happy than that's fine with her. "So," Narcissa wraps up the story, "Morganna had achieved her revenge against those that would hurt her. She saved the witches of the village from persecution and she crafted the most important spell book of a generation. What do we think of that?" Lily contemplates the moral of the story and replies, "Well if Morganna did all that what did Merlin do?" Narcissa almost laughs at the girl's enquiry but puts her cold features into sharp alignment, although her eyes hold a bit of mischief for the girl, "What did he do indeed young Lily. Not much from what I gather. Witches used to stand behind wizards in order to make their mark on the world, but now, we can stand side by side, or, even better, we can stand in front of them and carve our own path." Lily smiles at Narcissa and jumps up to give her a kiss on the cheek, "I like your stories." She then jumps out of the small garden alcove and runs toward the games in the center of the field. Narcissa allows herself a secret smile at the girl's confession.

As Narcissa sits back in her chair Arianna comes from behind a topiary and sits on the swing across from her. Julien is not far behind sitting on the swing next to Ari. They smile at Narcissa who says, "There you two are. Did you happen to catch my tale? It had young Lily fully engrossed I dare say." Julien smiles at his Gran, "I caught the end bit there. Working together won't be a problem for me I can tell you that much." Narcissa laughs and turns to Arianna, "What about you dear? Will you be standing behind or..?" Arianna laughs heartily, "I think I'd rather be out in front, actually." Narcissa narrows her eyes in a playful way and Jules scoffs at his best friend, "Not bloody likely!" Narcissa scolds her Grandson, "Manners, Julien. Besides, who knows what Destiny has in store for either of you." Julien smiles at Ari who rolls her eyes at the both of them.

* * *

Standing in a circle with drinks in hand, Ron, Pansy and Ginny are sighing in turns. They seem to be the only people not embracing the spirit of fun that one should do at a child's birthday party. Ginny keeps staring at James and smiling a big stupid, yet forced, grin. As if she is reassuring herself more than him that yes indeed, everything is just fine OK? OK.

Ron pulls out a flask from his robe and dumps it into the proffered cup of Pansy, whose hands are both tightly wrapped around said cup, holding onto it for dear life. She's the first to point out the elephant in the room, "No one is going to say it, are they?" Ron casts his eyes firmly down on the ground and turns his head to take a large swig right out of the flask before screwing the cap back up and shoving it into his robes.

Ginny places her hands on her hips in a semi-defensive Mom stance, "What are you on about?" Pansy replies through gritted teeth, "This isn't normal. Everything is not all right. It didn't bloody work." Ginny steps closer to Pansy and shout whispers to her, "Keep your voice down." Pansy rolls her eyes, "No one is paying attention to us, they never do." Ginny bows her head and leans into them both to whisper, "I don't think it worked either," Ron's head snaps up to his sister's face at this and he stares in shock as she continues, "But we can't exactly do anything about it. We have to proceed as normal." Ron grabs his sister's arm, "What does that even mean? How? We could be facing…" Ginny pushes him away and smiles brightly at someone behind Ron's head, "Hello! Hermione love!"

Hermione pushes her way into the group and says brightly, "What are you all doing, hiding over here?" Pansy merely shrugs and steps closer to Ron who is staring out at the chaos on the other side of the garden. James has started a race and is trying to get some adults in on the fun. Ginny tries to casually change the mood of the group, "We're just chatting." Hermione furrows her brow, "I don't know why you're all so worried. Everything's fine." Pansy scoffs and laughs a short burst at that, "Sorry," she mumbles.

* * *

Feet on fire, heart pounding, ears ringing, and the air is ripping through her, not just her hair but her whole body, she could fly right now if she wanted to; she knows it. She lifts her arms slightly and brings her feet off the ground for the briefest of moments. She stumbles once she realizes what she's done. Arianna Davis can fly. Without a broom, without a spell, she can fly. It wouldn't do to show off this new talent in front of most of her family and half of Hogwarts incoming grade two. So, she stumbles when she lands on the ground. She tries to do it gently but overshoots a little. At the stumble James comes whizzing past her. Of course, he's won, and that's alright since it is his birthday. He can pass her in the race, but he won't be flying. The thought brings a genuine smile to her face.

* * *

Standing in the kitchen and hiding from the onslaught of backslaps and forced conversations with people he really can't remember, Harry looks tense. Much more tense than a father who has just saved one of his children from certain doom should look. He has taken to feigning a relaxed posture in front of everyone and it seems to be working. Although, Ron does look like he's about vomit at any moment, and Pansy hasn't stopped casting sideways glances at Jules the entire day.

"Harry? Is this a private brooding moment or can one…?" Draco Malfoy casually offers as he stands in the doorway seeking some kind of approval for entry. Harry nods, "No. I mean, it's fine. Hello." Draco plops down into the kitchen chair and pulls his elbows onto the table holding out a flask to Harry, who declines with a wave, Draco proceeds to upend the flask entirely, coughing he states, "I nicked this from Ron and I'm tempted to dump it all out and find something worthy of ingestion." Harry laughs softly, "He's not picky about his booze." Draco shrugs his shoulders, "He's not picky at all from what I gather."

"I suppose not," is all that Harry can offer. He starts to walk toward Draco when Julien enters the kitchen. Draco does not even try to hide the flask. Jules leans over his Dad and sniffs at his mouth dramatically, "Can you not get pissed, please?" The boy pleads with his father. Draco gets up from the chair and bows to Harry as he says to Jules, "I'll keep my own company then, thank you." Jules shakes his head as his father leaves.

Harry and Jules are alone for perhaps the first time ever. He openly stares at the boy, his eyes seem brighter, like polished obsidian. Jules meets his gaze without reservation. Harry moves closer to him when Jules says, "Mr. Potter, it's a nice party you've got here. Thanks for having us." Harry looks down at the boy as he says, "Of course, you're welcome anytime Julien. And please call me Harry."

Julien smiles up at the man, fidgeting with his wand as he says, "Harry, it feels strange to address you as such. But I shall surely try." Harry smiles tightly and says, "Well I suspect we'll be seeing you a lot at the burrow. What are your plans this summer anyway?" Jules smiles broadly and says in a hissing tone, "Why, I'm going to take over the world, Harry." Harry narrows his eyes, "Not modest then, at least." Jules laughs with a hiss on his tongue, "Never modest, sir." He spins around dramatically waving his wand goodbye without turning around he leaves the kitchen briskly. Harry fights a shiver. He walks over to the polished silver toaster on the counter to look at his mouth in the reflection as he repeats the words he just said to Jules, he could have sworn, they were speaking parseltongue.

THE END


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